LAHORE: The PTI on Wednesday filed an application with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking the ineligibility of 19 Punjab by-poll candidates who had been de-notified by the election body over casting votes for PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz against their party line in the Punjab chief minister’s election on May 23.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the PTI leader expressed hope that the ECP would decide the case in a day or two.
Referring to Article 63-F of the Constitution, Fawad said that the candidates were not qualified for contesting the elections.
Declaring fresh elections the sole solution to the prevailing crisis in the country, the former minister warned the government that the situation would be different if obstacles were put in the path of revolution.
He said that the country was ready for a revolution, adding that his party wanted to bring revolution via the power of the vote.
“The country’s elite needs to understand the situation,” Fawad said, adding that it is the masses’ right to bring about a change in the country.
Referring to the situation in Sri Lanka, the PTI leader said that the government had stopped the masses from marching toward the rulers’ palaces. He also expressed concerns over the reports about expected rigging in the upcoming by-polls in Punjab.
Fawad claimed that Hamza Shahbaz would not be CM anymore after July 22.
Replying to another question about fuel prices, he said that in view of the falling oil prices in the international market, the price of petrol should be Rs150 per litre in the country.
In PTI’s petition filed by MNA Omar Ayub, the party had alleged that the Hamza Shahbaz-led Punjab government was violating several polling codes ahead of the July 17 by-polls in the province.
PTI claimed that the voter lists of the 20 constituencies that are up for grabs have been allegedly altered and that government officials are being used to ensure that PML-N candidates win the by-polls.
“Section 39(2) of the election act 2017 clearly states that revisions, transfers, addition, or deletion of voter lists are not permitted in an electoral area that has been called for an election,” read the petition.
“…it is the election commission’s foremost duty to conduct free, fair, and impartial elections, yet the voter list has been altered and the voters have been reshuffled, which is in complete violation of the election Commission Act 2017,” it said.
One of the most “egregious” examples, according to the PTI petition, was the issuance of voter lists of PP-140 Sheikhupura, which were issued after the announcement of the election schedule — in “violation of the law”.
The PTI further said that the way things are, “no free, fair, transparent, or impartial elections can be held” in Punjab.
The petition added that even after the election date was issued, developmental work was announced in various constituencies, which is a “clear violation of Section 181 of the Election Act of 2017”.
The PTI further alleged that a district police officer (DPO), Dr Ghias Gill, has been deployed in Jhang for the purpose of “pre-poll rigging”.
