Alleged rigging in elections: Grand opposition stages protest outside ECP HQ

ISLAMABAD: The grand opposition under the umbrella of Alliance for Fair and Free Elections on Wednesday launched its protest to reject the July 25 polls and press for its demand of resignation of chief election commissioner (CEC) and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by staging a big demonstration in front of the ECP headquarters here at the Constitution Avenue.

Protests were also held in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan where the protesters also announced to besiege the Election Commission office in Peshawar today (Thursday) as part of their country-wide protests.

The newly-elected parliamentarians, sitting members of the Senate and losing ticket-holders in large numbers led by their parties’ leaders, minus PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, gathered near the ECP headquarters, but they were stopped from entering the premises of the office by a heavy contingent of the Islamabad Police.

The PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan did not turn up for the protest event.

The Islamabad administration and police had planned to allow only parliamentarians, newly-elected MNAs, ticket holders and parties leaders on the Constitution Avenue, but a large number of workers also managed to reach in front of the ECP headquarters after scuffling with police personnel. But, later they dispersed peacefully after three-hour-long protest along with their leadership.

Participants of the protest were carrying flags of their parties including the PPP, PML-N, ANP, MMA, PkMAP, QWP and placards and raised slogans to reject the July 25 polls what they dubbed as fake elections.

MMA President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Senator Sherry Rehman, Ahsan Iqbal and others who addressed the protest maintained that they would not allow robbery on the mandate of the masses.

“We do not accept the fake prime minister, fake mandate and fake elections results,” the MMA president said while accusing the establishment of backing the PTI. Fazlur Rehman, who lost in two National Assembly constituencies, also announced demonstrations in all the four provincial capitals today (Thursday).

The absence of Shahbaz Sharif from the protest of opposition’s alliance disappointed his party leaders and supporters. However, the party sources said he could not catch the flight to Islamabad due to bad weather in Lahore.

Raja Zafarul Haq said the whole nation and all the opposition were unanimous that elections were rigged and the public mandate was stolen. He alleged that the Election Commission was not allowed to hold fair and free elections.

“Those who did not give respect to vote, harmed the country’s interests,” he said. Sherry Rehman, while demanding the resignation of the CEC and members of the ECP, said it was the right of opposition parties to register their protest. "It is important to hold a peaceful protest instead of creating any law order situation,” she said.

Ahsan Iqbal termed the protest on the Constitution Avenue as a historic event, saying it was a good omen for the future of democracy that all the democratic forces were united against the alleged polls rigging. “We will continue our struggle to get respect for vote,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal came harsh on the PTI Chairman Imran Khan on the issue of recounting in different constituencies. “On the one hand, Imran Khan is saying they are ready to open all the constituencies and on the other hand, he is opposing recounting in his own constituency,” he said.

The PkMAP chief, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, said the Federation was facing threats due to massive rigging in elections. “We want to save the Constitution and the Federation regardless of the fact we lose or win our seats,” he said.

Syed Khursheed Shah said they did not want to derail democracy, but regretted that the ECP had supported a single party. He said the ECP also failed to ensure transparent polls.

Prominent among those who participated in Wednesday’s protest were two former prime ministers Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Maryam Aurangzeb, senators Mushahid Husain Sayed, Javed Abbasi, Chaudhry Tanveer Ali Khan and Usman Kakar, Mian Muhammad Aslam, Sahibzada Tariqullah Khan, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Afrasiab Khattak.

Muhammad Farooq adds from Swabi: Activists of the MMA blocked the Motorway for traffic at the Swabi Interchange to protest the alleged polls rigging in the recent elections.

The MMA workers and leaders gathered at the district headquarters and marched to Swabi Interchange, covering a distance of about six kilometres. Those who belong to Chota Lahor tehsil and Zaida regions joined the big protest procession at the motorway. The blockade of the motorway crippled the flow of traffic and badly disturbed the poor commuters who were forced to wait for ending the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Fazal Ali, central deputy head of the JUI-F, said that they rejected the result of the July 25 elections and demanded fresh polls. “The fraudulent election is not acceptable to the MMA leaders and they had made it clear once again,” he added.