Pakistan Politics: The party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan has started nationwide protests against alleged rigging in the recent elections and theft of its mandate. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders on Saturday (February 17) due to protests in the capital Islamabad. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticized the election results and announced nationwide ‘peaceful protests’ against alleged rigging.
PTI-supported independent candidates maintained their dominance in the election results by winning more than 90 National Assembly seats. The protests began with a protest march in Wana, South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
What did Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf say?
PTI has decided to sit in opposition in Parliament. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said in a statement, “PTI has called for nationwide protests against unprecedented, large-scale and brazen rigging in the General Elections 2024, where PTI will win 180 National Assembly seats and two in Parliament. The one-third majority was reduced to half.” PTI spokesperson Rauf Hasan said, “The 2024 elections will be remembered in the history of the country because of large-scale rigging.”
Islamabad Police said this
Daily newspaper ‘Dawn’ quoted Islamabad Police as saying that Section 144 is in force in the city and security is on high alert as PTI is set to launch its nationwide protests. Without directly mentioning the protests, police said there could be increased traffic near F9 Park and urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel on nearby routes.
Police said special forces of the counter-terrorism department have been deployed on patrol to deal with any emergency. “Patrolling has been increased across the district while checking at check posts has been tightened,” he said. ”In Islamabad, police have dug a pit near Lahore Press Club to stop PTI’s protest. A large number of policemen were deployed there to thwart the PTI protest.
Punjab Police took action
Meanwhile, Punjab Police cracked down on PTI leaders and workers in Lahore who were protesting against ‘large-scale rigging’ in the elections. Police Imran Khan lawyer Salman Akram Raza and several women workers of PTI, who had gathered to protest on Jail Road on the call of the jailed former Prime Minister.
A large number of police gathered outside the PTI office on Jail Road and lathi-charged the party workers protesting against the alleged rigging. Video footage broadcast on television showed police assaulting PTI women workers and putting them in a police van. Islamabad Police Inspector General (IG) Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan has said that no one will be allowed to gather or protest in any public place in the capital.
