Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally in Lahore to celebrate the recent election tribunal rulings in NA 154 were spoiled over Security alerts from intelligence agencies.
Late night yesterday, the PTI rally was postponed after security agencies warned the party against likely terrorist attacks on its leadership.
According to sources, the Superintendent of Police (Security) in person spoke to chief Imran Khan about the law-enforcement agencies’ apprehensions, which he understood.
“Instead, Khan will address his followers at PTI’s Garden Town office,” sources said adding,”Being the prime target of terrorists, the PTI chief has also been advised not to travel unnecessarily.”
Khan’s party is whooping it up these days after an election tribunal, formed to hear vote fraud cases, ruled in the favour of its candidates.
Be that as it may, the PTI celebrations are premature to the critics as the former cricket star;s party has a daunting task of winning the by-elections up ahead.
Yesterday, a victory-drunk Khan could not help challenging Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to contest NA-122 (constituency) Lahore by-polls against him.
In a massive upset for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), Election Tribunal disqualified Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as member of the lower house of the parliament with immediate effect.
Declaring the election null & void, Justice (Retd) Kazim Ali Malik ordered re-polling in NA-122 at the earliest since Sadiq’s disqualification has rendered the seat vacant.
PMLN leader Ayaz Sadiq had defeated Khan in the last general elections.
Khan’s party later challenged Sadiq’s election in election tribunal alleging his party of organized vote rigging.
The PTI was upset after a judicial commission rejected claims by cricketer-turned-opposition leader that the country’s 2013 general election was rigged, saying the poll was largely fair.
Khan claimed his party had been robbed of victory in the ballot by a shadowy conspiracy involving poll officials and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN), which won by a landslide.
PTI staged a large sit-in protest in front of parliament for several months last year to try to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from power over the claims.
Sharif held on and in March agreed to set up a judicial commission to investigate claims of foul play in the landmark poll, which marked the first handover of power from one elected civilian government to another in Pakistan’s history.
The three-judge commission, headed by Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, delivered its 237-page report.
It said the election was “in large part organised and conducted fairly and in accordance with the law” and allegations of a plot to rig the result were not supported by evidence.
The report however pointed to shortcomings by the Electoral Commission of Pakistan but said the evidence did not support claims the result was not a “true and fair reflection of the mandate given by the electorate”.
Khan said he accepted the commission’s decision but would give a detailed reaction later after reading their report in full. (PhotoNews/Agencies)
