PTI accused PML-N of rigging by-elections and announced protests

Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) accused the ruling party PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz) of rigging the 2024 by-elections. Following by-elections 2024 on April 21, 2024, PML-N claimed victory in most national and provincial seats.

Regarding this, PTI has released a schedule of nationwide protests for this Friday, April 26, 2024. PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan and other leaders held a news conference today.

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Leaders from PTI-alliance party Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza was also present with Omar Ayub at a news conference. Omar Ayub called the national and provincial by-election process “fraudulent.”

PTI secretary Omar also accused that one of the PML-N strategies for rigging by-elections was cellphone and internet services suspension. He further said a PML-N candidate in the by-elections received more votes than Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He considers it a clear manipulation of poll results.

Omar Ayub also urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct a thorough investigation in constituencies where they received reports of vote manipulation. He also demanded the ECP not issue victory results in controversial constituencies.

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Moreover, he announced a nationwide protest movement against “by-elections rigging” that would begin on the upcoming Friday in Faislabad. He revealed this movement would start under the banner of “Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-Aayin-e-Pakistan.

PTI-allied parties led by PTI established this new platform. It promises to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution in Pakistan.

According to the PTI, Friday protests will be held in all provincial constituencies won by PTI including Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Apart from this, PTI will hold power shows in Karachi on May 5, 2024.

However, PML-N has gained 10 of the 16 seats in the province legislatures. And at least two of the five seats in the National Assembly are based on unofficial by-election 2024 results.