Prime Minister’s aide on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday that the government would hold re-election in any constituency if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prove rigging.
“PTI has accepted the system…it should not create an artificial crisis in the country,” Sanaullah said in a statement.
His remarks came as the former ruling party plans to launch another anti-government movement after Eid-ul-Fitr, with party founder Imran Khan ordering to expedite “contact with other opposition parties for protests after Eid”.
In April last year, the PTI formed a multi-party opposition alliance named Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, comprising Sunni Ittehad Council, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen.
Now, the former ruling party has reportedly roped in former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to become part of its anti-government movement.
Unveiling the former ruling party’s strategy, Imran’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said that the PTI was working towards forming a grand opposition alliance, focused on certain objectives including restoration of the constitution and democracy.
In the statement today, Sanaullah further said that an attempt was made to create a crisis in the country on November 24, 2024 — the day PTI staged a “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad.
Islamabad witnessed pitched battles between law enforcement agencies and PTI supporters as the latter inched towards the D-Chowk for the party’s ‘final call’ power show amid intense teargas shelling.
However, a late-night crackdown by the government ended in a hasty retreat of the PTI’s top leadership and supporters, following which the party abruptly ended its protest.
The fierce clashes resulted in the martyrdom of at least four Rangers personnel along with two policemen with the former ruling party claiming that 12 of its protesters died. The protests led to arrests and multiple cases being registered against the party workers and supporters.
Accusing the former PTI government of corruption, Sanaullah said that appointments and transfers in Punjab were made by giving bribes.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif vowed to block attempts aimed at creating an “artificial political crisis” in the country.
“[The] people of Pakistan will no longer allow anyone to obstruct the journey of development and progress,” the former three-time prime minister said during a meeting with PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui in Raiwind.
