PTI wants level playing field for all political parties

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to fulfill its constitutional and legal responsibilities and instantly take practical measures to provide a level-playing field to all political parties for elections.

A PTI spokesperson maintained that provision of a level-playing field to all political stakeholders was possible by putting a halt to the ‘ongoing state coercive actions and revengeful steps’ against the PTI and its leaders as well as workers.

Referring to the letters the ECP wrote to federal and provincial interim governments in recent weeks, the PTI spokesperson termed these steps inadequate because he emphasised these served no purpose since no respite had been witnessed in the ongoing suppression against PTI leaders and its supporters hitherto. 

He demanded that the electoral watchdog take effective practical and tangible steps by using its constitutional and legal powers in this regard because at present, the country was in the grip of the worst lawlessness and disorder as there was no regard for the Constitution and law. He pointed that the country was under the worst constitutional and legal crises; therefore it was need of the hour to take concrete steps instead of mere writing letters to the caretaker governments because even after writing letters, the PTI was not allowed to hold peaceful political activities anywhere in the country.

He highlighted that the coverage of statements of most of political leaders, including Imran Khan, and their press conferences were prohibited. The process of enforced disappearances of the PTI leaders and workers and subsequently compelling them to part ways with the PTI continued unabated.

The state plans to keep the PTI out of the electoral race were talk of the town. Moreover, he contended that most of PTI leaders had been locked up without any crime and were not being released. Therefore, the PTI spokesperson stressed the need that the election body go beyond verbal orders and sending letters and exercise its constitutional and legal powers and take immediate practical steps to ensure holding of fair elections.