Nawaz says rigged elections will harm Pakistan

LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif has said that rigged and manipulated elections will be horrible for the future of Pakistan and everything must be done to ensure that the elections next month are held in a free and fair atmosphere.

Speaking for the first time on Pakistani politics in nearly two weeks, since his arrival in London a day before Eid, the former PM feared that a hostile climate has been created for his supporters.

Speaking about the arrest of Raja Qamarul Islam, PML-N’s candidate against Chaudhry Nisar, by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Nawaz Sharif said that his arrest was “unfortunate” and “such actions create doubts and anxieties”. “If elections are rigged and not held in a free and fair atmosphere then it will create further problems and instability in the country in future. It’s best that the elections are held free and fair.”

Nawaz said that arrests and harassment of his workers aren’t the way forward. He said that Raja Qamarul Islam got “clean chit” a few days ago from the NAB but then he was arrested. “His arrest is the indication of what’s happening. Even a common man can tell what’s happening, ordinary people can tell that something wrong is happening and that’s not right. These things create concerns. Not only that such action should be avoided but should never happen.”