Imran Khan’s PTI to sit in opposition in Pakistan’s Parliament
The party has also decided to launch a nationwide protest against alleged rigging in recent elections in Pakistan
Imran Khan’s party, having failed to secure leadership in the aftermath of disputed elections, has chosen to take the role of the Opposition in Parliament while simultaneously launching a nationwide protest against alleged poll rigging.
Following a split decision in the Feb. 8 elections, prominent political factions in Pakistan are intensifying their endeavors to establish a federal administration. Although Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed independent contenders dominated the election outcomes, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asserted that they possessed adequate support to claim governance, with some independent candidates aligning with the Sharif-led party post-elections.
Following directives from PTI’s founder, Khan, PTI leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif announced the party’s decision to adopt an Opposition stance at the federal level and in the crucial province of Punjab.
This decision was made after the nomination of Umar Ayub Khan as the prime ministerial candidate and Aslam Iqbal as the prospective chief minister of Punjab.
The party, which has also issued a detailed report outlining alleged electoral irregularities, is set to commence demonstrations on Saturday.
Notably, PTI’s incarcerated founder has entrusted former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser with the responsibility of engaging with various political entities to garner support for the protest initiative.
PTI representatives, under Qaiser’s leadership, have engaged with leaders from Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), with further discussions scheduled with Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Mehmood Khan Achakzai. The delegation has also sought support from JI for joint protests against the purported electoral misconduct.
Despite these developments, it remains uncertain whether PTI will participate in selecting the prime minister and Punjab chief minister after they decide to align with the opposition bloc.
PTI has alleged that a significant number of their parliamentary seats were unjustly revoked through what they term the “most extensive voter fraud” in the country’s history, prompting plans for peaceful nationwide demonstrations against the alleged malpractice.
In a meeting held on Friday, PTI’s core committee finalized strategies for the forthcoming nationwide protest campaign as per the directives of the party’s founder, Khan.
The committee urged the populace to unite against the alleged widespread electoral fraud and demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner.
Independent candidates, predominantly supported by PTI, secured 93 out of the 265 National Assembly seats contested in the recent election. However, PTI’s primary rivals, PML-N and PPP, are poised to form a coalition government following an alliance agreement post-elections.
A party must secure 133 of the 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly to establish a government. Khan has declared that upon regaining power, there will be no pursuit of political retribution but a focus on advancing the nation’s development.
PTI’s Information Secretary Raoof Hasan, alongside other party leaders, highlighted the alleged voter fraud and discrepancies in the election results during a press conference. Hasan emphasized the party’s commitment to pursuing legal avenues to address the purported irregularities and secure their rights.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of engaging with various political entities to foster collaboration and unity, clarifying that the objective is not to form electoral alliances but to unite all political forces on a common platform.
Source: Newsroom
