Sherpao says no to meddling in polls

CHARSADDA: Terming the holding of the general election the only way to address the prevailing economic and political challenges, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Friday said there should not be any interference in the electoral process.

Addressing a public gathering at Dhakki Union Council in Charsadda, he demanded the general election must not be postponed and held at all cost to end uncertainty.

A local leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, announced joining the QWP on this occasion.

Aftab Sherpao commented that if the Election Commission of Pakistan put the election on the backburner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province would face a similar security situation in the future so it would be a futile exercise to delay the polls.

The QWP leader said the election commission and the caretaker government should focus on the law and order and take steps to improve the situation so that the candidates could run the election campaign without any fear.

Referring to the recent killing of an independent candidate in Bajaur, Aftab Sherpao said the rising acts of terrorism and worsening law and order had dampened the spirits of the people. He feared that rising lawlessness could affect the voter turnout in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He said the caretaker government and the election commission should ensure a level-playing field for all the candidates in KP and Balochistan, where most of the terror attacks were being staged. The QWP leader said the police and the law-enforcement agencies should take proactive steps to bring an end to lawlessness and acts of subversions.

Commenting on the use of the newly developed Election Management System for the upcoming polls, he said the Results Transmission System had crashed during the 2018 general election, which caused colossal loss to the country’s politics and economy. He maintained that instead of experimenting with the system, the election commission should ensure the holding of the free, fair and transparent elections so that all the political parties accept the results.