ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif Thursday demanded formation of a parliamentary commission to probe alleged rigging in the recently held general elections. “The opposition demands formation of a parliamentary commission,” Shehbaz said while speaking to media in Islamabad. “We have the right to raise our voice against rigging in elections,” he asserted. “Why did the result transmission system (RTS) stop working at the last minute? Why were the polling agents thrown out of the polling stations,” he asked. Shehbaz suggested that the commission must comprise members of all the political parties having representation in the parliament. “The commission must find out why the RTS was shut down. The commission must find why polling agents weren’t allowed to stay inside polling stations when votes were being counted. Why were votes counted in absence of the polling agents? The nation has the right to know about all of this,” he said. “PML-N had secured more seats in Punjab Assembly. Everyone knows why we weren’t able to form a government,” Shehbaz said, and remarked that rather than exchanging congratulations, the opposition will ask for an investigation into the elections in the first sitting of the National Assembly. Shehbaz also shared that he held meetings with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar. The three PML-N leaders are completing their jail terms after being convicted in the Avenfield properties case by an accountability court. He remarked that the three are in high spirits and their will hasn’t been shaken. “Nawaz Sharif had returned to Pakistan for the sake of nation,” Shehbaz said, adding that Nawaz has asked everyone to pray for him. He further remarked that Nawaz was treated unfairly before and after the elections. A journalist asked Shehbaz for his comments on the rumours that discussions are under way and Nawaz would soon be released. “Can the world function without discussions,” he responded. “Discussions do not mean NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance]. Who said it’s about NRO? Neither does anyone want to give NRO, nor does anyone want to take it,” he stated. Shehbaz explained that his absence from a multi-party alliance’s protest against alleged poll rigging a day earlier was due to rough weather and nothing else. Shahbaz was the most notable absentee when an array of political leaders, united under the newly formed ‘Pakistan Alliance for Free and Fair Elections’, held a protest demonstration outside the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad on Wednesday against alleged rigging in the July 25 general elections. He explained that his absence should not be misconstrued and reiterated that his party stands with the 11-party grand alliance on the issue. “All the opposition parties held a comprehensive but peaceful protest,” he said. “I couldn’t be there because my flight was cancelled due to rough weather. No matter what people say, this is the truth. There will be more such protests in future. This issue will be raised in the assemblies. We’re going to the assemblies not to congratulate but to raise this issue of the highest priority,” he added. Published in Daily Times, August 10th 2018.