Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday thanked the nation for ensuring the governing Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) stood defeated in by-elections held on Sunday.
The PTI chairman made the comments while speaking at journalists in the wake of the polls. Imran termed the polls a “referendum” on the snap general elections. He said this was so since it was common knowledge that the party would not return to the National Assembly (NA). This, he then said, was representative of a public no-confidence in the current NA and the “imported government” foisted on the nation following an international conspiracy.
“The people have rejected them,” he said. Imran said the people had delivered their verdict time and again in the recent by-elections in the Punjab, Karachi and Malakand earlier too.
Imran termed Sunday’s by-elections a “pre-planned” exercise. He said the PDM had deliberately undertaken the exercise in select constituencies where they thought the PTI would easily be outflanked by the combined power of the ruling coalition in cahoots with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
He said the PPP had rigged the by-elections in NA-237 Karachi. Imran said this was a time-honoured PPP practice. The PTI chairman demanded re-polls in the constituency.
The PTI chairman said preparations for his long march were complete. He said the intimated governing coalition was trying to stall the conduct of general elections irrespective of damage being done to the nation. Imran said he will announce the launch of the march anytime between today and October. “He said he was only giving time to the government to announce snap general elections.” If this did not happen, Imran said, he will mount a long march.
PTI chairman Imran on Sunday emerged victorious across six of seven NA seats he famously ran for in by-elections held yesterday. The PPP, on the other hand, clinched two NA seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), separately, only scored one of three Provincial Assembly seats up for grabs.
PDM don’t need to accede to any demand that could grant him victory on a plate, as it would be accepting his popularity. Hence he will have to do a long march and might get half a concession if it’s successful. But, that is a big if as so many other external and internal factors may interact to result in a total failure that can ruin 6 months of electioneering.
Threat is always likely to yield something before pulling a punch but once the punch is dealt it is a fight and it can go either way. He knows it and PDM knows it. PDM has still got the upper hand as “neutrals”, IB and ISI surveillance means administration knows everything while he is wading a stick in the dark, unlikely it can take the head off this coalition of the damned. Chances are much less than even.