The government on Friday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's allegations of rigging general election 2013 and termed them baseless and a pack of lies. "Allegations levelled by Imran Khan are baseless and government rejects the data provided by PTI chief," said Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique who was flanked by other cabinet members while addressing a press conference.
He said: "now it seems some foreign hand is supporting Imran Khan to destabilise the country as his sit-in has affected the inflow of investment especially from China." The minister said Imran Khan is making elections controversial after he failed to become Prime Minister. According to him, in one of the four constituencies frequently referred to by PTI leader, PML-N candidate was not the winner; he was in fact at third position. The minister said if rigging took place in NA-122 or NA-125, as claimed by Khan, then why he has not been able to provide any documentary or digital evidence.
About Imran Khan's allegation regarding extra ballot papers, he said it is a standard operating procedure of Election Commission to print extra ballot papers. However, at the end of the polling, each Presiding Officer fills a statement of account, giving complete details of the consumed and the remaining ballot papers. Saad said that PTI did nothing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the welfare of the people. KP has become a reservoir of diseases such as polio and dengue, he said. "Imran should at least care for the 7.6 million people who have voted for him," he advised.
Responding to a question, Saad said that Khan spends 150 million rupees on a public meeting and then resorts to level baseless accusations against the government. He said it was every party's right to respond to allegations against it. "It is also important to unveil Imran Khan's real face before the public," he said. Referring to Khan's question how PML-N got more votes in 2013 as compared to 2008, he said the voter turnout was 44 percent and 55 percent in 2008 and 2013, respectively. Moreover, he added, PML-N leadership was kept out of the election in 2002 and 2008.
He further said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's performance in Punjab during his 2008-13 tenure immensely contributed to party's victory in 2013. He said that the PTI's highly controversial intra-party elections were the main cause behind party's defeat. "Is it our mistake if Imran Khan doesn't understand politics? Is it our mistake that the party awarded tickets without proper ground work? Is it our mistake that the PTI tickets were awarded by Imran Khan who was ensconced in his residence in Banigala?" questioned Saad Rafique.
He questioned why PTI did not exercise the right of challenging the vote on Election Day. "Our supporters ask why we do not respond to Imran's allegations," he said. He said Khan was the brainchild of former establishment and acted on their commands only. "We do not arrest him because he cannot spend even eight days in prison; without 'supply' [drugs] he cannot survive long enough," he said.
Minister of State Muhammad Zubair said PTI constituted a committee headed by Tasnim Noorani to investigate the electoral defeat. The report pointed out serious internal flaws and wrong decisions and the attitude of Khan. Minister of State Anusha Rehman said 90 percent PTI candidates acknowledged their defeat. PTI filed only 58 election petitions; 30 for National Assembly and 28 for provincial assemblies.
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