Despite By-Election Victory, Imran Demands Chief Election Commissioner’s Resignation

Despite By-Election Victory, Imran Demands Chief Election Commissioner’s Resignation
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan has demanded Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja’s resignation, saying that transparent elections cannot take place under the latter's supervision. He reiterated his demand to hold fresh elections in the country.

Addressing the nation following his party’s victory in Sunday’s by-elections, the former premier thanked the people for coming out in large numbers to vote for the PTI.

"I believe this is the moment in the history of Pakistan that we should be thankful for because the nation has awakened. People have finally understood the ideology of Pakistan."

He said free and fair elections are the need of the hour, adding that elections should not be conducted the way by-elections in Punjab were held.

"[During the by-polls] they used all the tactics to defeat us. Police threatened our people. Officers acted as workers of PML-N. Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has no right to use the police in such a way.”

He said that the CEC tried his best to turn the polls in favour of the ruling PML-N.

"Under this ECP, free and fair election cannot take place. The country's biggest party does not trust it. I ask CEC to resign. We have no confidence in you. You're a biased person and connected with a party," he alleged.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected Imran’s allegations and said: “All these allegations have nothing to do with reality. The election commission will continue to perform its duties according to the Constitution and law.”