Mian Iftikhar alleges pre-poll rigging

NOWSHERA: Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Tuesday said that pre-poll rigging was being committed as certain political parties were being provided space in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Addressing a press conference here, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) Chairman Pervez Khattak was openly claiming that he would be the next chief minister of KP. “All the posting and transfer are being done as per the wishes of Pervez Khattak as he has hijacked the whole government machinery,” he alleged. He added that Pervez Khattak was using the government machinery for political purposes.

He demanded that all the political parties and stakeholders should be provided a level-playing field.

The deputy commissioner Nowshera was a government employee, not the servant of a political figure, he said, adding all this was taking place under the watch of the caretaker government.

Mian Iftikhar said that the caretaker government should ensure a level-playing field for all political parties and stop the use of the official machinery for political purposes.

Pervez Khattak always won the elections through rigging, he claimed and added that the ANP workers would be compelled to stage protests against this injustice.

He said that Pervez Khattak was involved in pre-poll rigging and was using various tactics to influence the outcome of the elections in Nowshera. He alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was making the polls controversial.

He said that those leaders of the PTI, who were not facing any cases, should be allowed to run their election campaign. “We are against pushing any political party against the wall,” he added.

The ANP was ready to hold talks with any political party for seat adjustment, he said, adding that the party provincial head had the final say on this issue.