PTI issues 'white paper' on alleged rigging in Feb 8 elections

PTI issues 'white paper' on alleged rigging in Feb 8 elections

Islamabad (Web Desk): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday issued a white paper demanding the formation of a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections.

Addressing a press conference flanked by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and other party leaders, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar claimed that his party won 180 seats in the general elections but the seats were given to other parties through Form 47.

He said that the PTI had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the alleged rigging. "But the plea has not been fixed for hearing as yet," he lamented.

The PTI chief said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) declared the PTI intra-party polls invalid, adding that the ECP verdict made the PTI go into the election without its iconic ‘bat’ electoral symbol.

“We are issuing a 300-page white paper to bring it to the notice of the people as to how their mandate was stolen,” Barrister Gohar said.

He said the white paper is based on the reports of international organisations, foreign media and newspapers.

Barrister Gohar also called for carrying out the electoral reforms to eliminate rigging in the polls once and for all.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub said the ECP was granted billions of rupees to hold free and fair elections in the country.

“We demand the chief election commissioner to resign,” he said accusing the electoral body of failing to hold transparent polls in the country.