Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry on Monday condemned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s narrative which he alleged was aimed at making the upcoming general elections controversial.

Addressing a press conference, Chaudhry expressed concerns at the recent statements by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and claimed that the former prime minister’s party was making concentrated efforts to imbue controversy in the general election scheduled for July 25. “We strongly condemn PML-N’s narrative that is aimed at making the election controversial. PML-N and Nawaz are making the military and judiciary controversial,” he said.

Chaudhry added that Pakistan’s placement on the so-called grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on money laundering was also a consequence of PML-N’s anti-army and anti-judiciary narrative. “Nawaz is [also] responsible for the inflation storm,” he said, lamenting the most recent price hike in the petroleum products. Chaudhry reiterated that PTI will not accept delay in the polls under any circumstances.

Resolving that his party, if voted into power, would ensure the timely merger of FATA, Chaudhry asked the protesters from the erstwhile FATA region to vote for the PTI. “We sympathise with FATA’s demands [to hold the election there], but at the moment the biggest priority is to ensure the general elections are held on July 25 as scheduled.”

The spokesperson demanded the removal of all incumbent governors for the conduct of free and fair polls in the country. He insisted on the change specifically in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to him, the governor of the province was still responsible for the management of the tribal belt. All transfers, postings and funding pertaining to the area are conducted by the governor in-charge, he said, adding that the KP governor is always changed ahead of the elections as per norm. “We fail to understand what the interim prime minister and election commission are waiting for,” he said.

The PTI spokesperson said the son of Punjab’s governor is contesting elections and that the governor himself is involved in election campaigns and represents bar associations on behalf of Nawaz Sharif. He stated that Mahmood Achakzai’s brother is the governor of Balochistan and has not been changed so far.

“The transfer of powers is slow. Despite the flaws, we have faith in ECP to conduct peaceful elections. Gas and electricity entities are still under Sharif dynasty and they are exploiting them,” he concluded.

Published in Daily Times, July 3^rd 2018.