The Jamaat-e-Islami’s Karachi chapter on Sunday held big demonstrations at eight major arteries of the city to protest against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over alleged rigging and massive changes in the results of the February 8 general elections.
Thousands of JI workers participated in the protest sit-ins held across the city. The protesters carrying placards and banners shouted slogans against the alleged changing of the results. Addressing a protest demonstration at the Sharea Faisal Star Gate, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman claimed that all the national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies in the city have been snatched by the ECP.
Rehman also claimed that the Pakistan People Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have been illegally imposed on the city through fake results of this past Thursday’s polls.
He said the JI’s and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidates have secured the highest number of votes in the city, adding that they all have the Form 45s of such results, but the entire results have been changed in Form 47s by the ECP’s returning officers in violation of the law.
He announced that the JI would challenge the ROs’ results in Form 47s in the Sindh High Court. He said the JI has already written to the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) about the “rigging that took place right under the nose and apparently under the supervision of the ECP”.
Rehman vowed that the JI would continue their struggle against fascism, saying that his party rejects the “fake” mandate. He also announced continuing the struggle until its logical conclusion, that is the rectification of the election results.
The JI leader said that his party would fight for justice, both in front of the judiciary and on the streets, exercising their constitutional and democratic rights.
He claimed that the ECP managed the elections on the whims of the establishment. He also claimed that the ECP, which was supposed to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, just read out the already written results in a shameless manner.
Rehman said the JI has launched a movement that may be prolonged but would not go in vain. He demanded that the “manipulated” results of the general elections be declared null and void.
‘Theft’ of mandate
PTI workers held a demonstration outside the ECP Sindh office in Saddar to protest against alleged rigging and manipulation of results in the general elections. The protesters, led by PTI Karachi President Khurrum Sher Zaman, shouted slogans against the “theft” of their mandate.
Zaman claimed that Karachi belonged to the PTI yesterday and it still belongs to the party even today. “Our mandate has been stolen. We’re peaceful Pakistanis, but they’re trying to make us fight with the police. I ask the workers to protest peacefully. We haven’t raised our hands against the police.”
He said the PTI has decided to fight their case in court. “When the time comes, we’ll also fight the war on the streets,” he added. He also said his party would take Form 45s to the court. “We have filed a petition in the court.”
The PTI leader said he pays tribute to the police, adding that those who were “given” 17 seats in Karachi used to “beat the police”.
“We don’t accept such people. We’ve come to register our protest, and we’ll continue our peaceful struggle,” he pointed out. Zaman said that the PTI would get all its seats back. “We’ll fight our case at every forum.”
