Shaheen says ‘mafias’ imposed on country as Gandapur demands judicial probe into poll-rigging

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen on Sunday regretted that a “mafia” has been imposed on the country and the nation, saying the “mafias” only wanted to launder the people’s money and has nothing to do with the welfare and development of the masses.

Described the PML-N and the PPP – two major parties of the ruling alliance – as “mafias” who allegedly wanted to launder the people’s money, he claimed that “illegal MNAs” were being brought up while accusing the Election Commission of Pakistan of playing the role of “facilitator” in this process.

Without presenting proof, he accused the two parties of looting the people. Like his party leader Khan, he vowed to protect the rights of the people.

“Our struggle will continue until our PTI founder comes out,” he said while talking about incarcerated former prime minister Khan.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed hailed the PTI founder as one of the biggest leaders of the country, saying that Imran Khan was the only leader after the founder of Pakistan Quad-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

While addressing supporters of the party in Peshawar, he demanded that the former prime minister and all party leaders be released.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur claimed that there was foreign interference in the internal matters of the country, saying the PTI founder should be given a fair trial and an investigation commission should be formed on the cypher case.

Gandapur demanded that the chief justice of Pakistan should form a judicial commission on the case related to the diplomatic cable.

He further demanded that the reserved seats of the party, which were allocated to other political parties after the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision, should be given them back.

The KP CM demanded the judiciary to take strict action against alleged rigging and manipulation of election results.

“First, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) was subjected to pre-poll-rigging as nomination papers were stolen and later party mandate was stolen by rigged and forged election results”, he said.

He reiterated his party’s demand for the resignation of the chief election commissioner, saying the CEC had failed to abide by his constitutional oath and therefore had no right stay on this constitutional post anymore.

The KP CM asserted that international institutions and observers had raised questions on the credibility and fairness of the election and denied to accept transparency of the election results.

He insisted the rule of law and justice must prevail, and they would be ready for a re-election if promised transparency and fairness.

Gandapur said he did not accept the victory of newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari, saying he wasn’t elected by Form-45 voters.

Ali Amin Gandapur refused to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Asif Zardari, labeling it a violation of the constitution to attend the ceremony of a candidate who won by undemocratic practices.

Speaking to the media from the rally site on the eve of the protest, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said that the party’s protest would remain peaceful.

He recounted the party’s complaint against pre-poll and poll day rigging, adding that even foreign observers had not accepted the results of the elections.

Gandapur also reiterated the party’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja.

The KP CM added that he would not attend the oath-taking ceremony of the president. He had also skipped the oath-taking ceremony for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.