Samar Haroon Bilour alleged a pre-poll rigging plan devised by government to win Peshawar mayorship slot
PESHAWAR
Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Tuesday accused the provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) of pre-poll rigging in the local body polls in the provincial capital.
ANP and JUI-F leadership alleged that the PTI government had drawn up a pre-poll rigging plan to win Peshawar mayorship.
Addressing an emergency press conference at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) ANP spokesperson MPA Samar Haroon Bilour and JUI-F Haji Ghulam Ali announced a protest on next Thursday against the provincial government.
Samar Haroon Bilour also alleged that Commissioner Peshawar played a role in the alleged rigging in the provincial capital.
Opposition leaders accused the father of Commission Peshawar, who has been elected senator on a PTI ticket, allegedly instrumental to rig polls of Peshawar mayorship.
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has become an institution for issuing notices only she criticized.
ANP spokesperson said that the code of conduct was being flouted by government members in the local body elections.
The ANP has repeatedly informed the Commission about the violations of the code of conduct by the provincial government but no effective action was taken, she added.
“Pakhtunkhwa, especially in Peshawar, will not allow the theft of public mandate this time. She said that the fear of defeat had become so ingrained in the minds of PTI that even the Prime Minister had to come to Peshawar,” she said.
Referring to a form given to candidates as part of election code of conduct, Samar said it is mandatory for a candidate to inform police in advance before paying a visit to any polling station.
Candidates, as per the new code of conducts, can not visit any polling station on polling day without prior permission from police, adding its unlawful and opposition would resist this new rules and consider it as a new form of rigging added.
ANP MPA asked ECP to explain whether it is lawful to restrict a candidate from visiting polling stations without prior permission of police.
“It is to deprive candidates and party members of their rights on Election Day,” she added.
JUI-F leader Gulam Ali said the opposition is holding a protest outside PPC on Thursday against the so-called code of conduct and alleged pre-poll rigging.
To a question, Samar Haroon Bilour said police is a talented force and ANP has repeatedly said that the army should be kept away from political affairs whether it is on Election Day or any other day.
