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 their protest to reject the July 25 polls and press for 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 premises of the office by a heavy contingent of Islamabad Police.

The PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan also 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 hours 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.

The MMA President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Senator Sherry Rehman, Ahsan Iqbal and others who addressed protest demonstration maintained that they would not allow dacoity 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 protest demonstrations in all four provincial capitals today (Thursday).

The absence of Shahbaz Sharif from the protest demonstration of opposition’s alliance disappointed his many party leaders and supporters. However, the party sources said he could not catch 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 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 resignation of the CEC and members of the ECP said it was right of opposition parties to register their protest. “It is important to hold peaceful protest instead of creating any law order situation,” she said.

Ahsan Iqbal termed protest on the Constitution Avenue as a historic event, saying it was good omen for future of democracy that all the democratic forces were united against 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 issue of recounting in different constituencies. “On 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 constitution and federation regardless of the fact we lose or win our seats,” he said.

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

Prominent among those who participated in Wednesday’s protest included 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: The activists of MMA blocked Motorway for traffic at Swabi Interchange to protest the alleged polls rigging in the recent elections.

The MMA workers and leaders gathered at 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 the 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 was not acceptable to the MMA leaders and they had made it clear once again,” he added.

BATKHELA: On the call of the JUI-F, the leaders and activists of various political parties took out protest rally against the alleged rigging in the recently held elections.

Led by the PML-N, MMA, ANP and PkMAP, leaders including Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, former provincial minister Qari Mehmood, Maulana Javed, Qaimus Khan, Habib Ali Shah, Shamsul Qamar, Mufti Kifayatullah, Ishaq Zahid and others, the protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed slogans like ‘rigged polls unaccepted.’

The protesters, hailing from all the districts of Malakand division, marched through various roads and gathered at Pul Chowki where they blocked the Peshawar-Batkhela Highway to traffic for four hours.

JAMRUD: Activists of the JUI-F in Jamrud tehsil of the Khyber district took out protest rally against the alleged rigging in the polls. The protesters, led by JUI-F NA-43 aspirant, Mufti Muhammad Ijaz Shinwari, Qari Jihad Shah, Maulana Ghufranullah Khyberi, Said Kabir and others, were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the ECP. They said that the ECP and other state institutions had rigged the elections and made the PTI victorious.

TAKHT BHAI: The MMA activists took out a protest rally in Shergarh to protest the alleged rigging.

The MMA losing candidates Muhammad Qasim and Fazal Rabbani were leading the protesters. The protesters chanted slogans against the Election Commission for its failure to hold fair and free elections.