Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Monday demanded re-election in the country without deployment of army troops.
Speaking at a protest gathering here, Asfandyar alleged that the recently held general elections in the country were rigged and blamed state institutions, including the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), security forces and the judiciary for the ‘massive rigging’ in the elections.
“We can easily win elections if they’re held under human supervision and not under the ‘aliens’,” Asfandyar said. “Those on duty pushed out our polling agents and then counted the votes their own way,” he claimed.
In a veiled warning, the ANP chief said the country might see instability as those ‘selected’ to run the country were not the ‘true representatives’ of the people.
Terming the polls a conspiracy against Pakhtun representation, he claimed the Pakhtun leaders were made to lose their seats in parliament through a plan. “ANP doesn’t believe in violence, but don’t push us against the wall,” he warned.
He that he has allowed ANP’s Balochistan chapter to be part of the provincial government with Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) as Mengal has been an old ally.
The gathering was part of a province-wide protest organised on the call of ANP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
Published in Daily Times, July 31st 2018.