Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General Asad Umar has said that the country would move towards a ‘difficult situation’ if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) fails to ‘do justice’ during the upcoming by-polls in Punjab.
“The PTI will win with a big majority on July 17. Once Punjab goes out of their (the government’s) hands, what will the imported prime minister do in Islamabad? We are heading towards new elections,” Asad said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad today.
He said the law is “being violated” and the people are being “harassed and terrorised”, claiming that “direct calls” are being made from assistant commissioners and district commissioners to officials in Punjab.
“Our people are being threatened and FIRs registered. The most dangerous thing is illegally registering votes. We have filed a petition. Individual petitions have already been filed but ECP has not taken any action,” he said.
He added that new votes have been registered in electoral rolls despite the fact that the law “clearly says votes cannot be changed once election date is announced”.
“They are mostly those whose temporary or permanent addresses do not fall in that constituency […] It is a test for the ECP and courts.”
Meanwhile, the ECP issued a statement, saying reports regarding the registration of votes are “unfounded and based on propaganda to mislead the masses”. “The ECP is resolved to conduct transparent and peaceful election on the 20 seats of the Punjab Assembly.”
