All opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) and PPP on Wednesday demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to deploy army personnel at polling stations in the upcoming Local Government elections to prevent possible rigging and disorder.
The representatives of the opposition parties made the demand at a joint press conference held at PTI's central office. PTI Punjab organiser Chaudhary Sarwar claimed, "The ruling party is contesting the polls with full support of the Punjab police and two of Insaf workers were murdered by its goons ... Law and order in the Punjab is worsening day by day. To ensure free and fair polls, the commission must issue directives for deployment of the army inside and outside the polling stations."
He also said, "The PTI has set up a legal team to file a petition in the High Court on Thursday demanding the army deployment. The ruling party wants the opposition parties to boycott the polls, but its wishes will never be fulfilled and all the opposition parties will participate in the polls."
"We have received 600 affidavits so far from voters whose votes were transferred to other constituencies without their consent. Once the commission provides us with a verified voters' list, we will then present our evidence of electoral fraud to the media and the commission."
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Lahore President Samina Khalid Ghurki said, "At the time when the whole government machinery is working for the ruling party, all the opposition parties with one voice demand that the commission deploy the army." PTI Lahore Organiser MNA Shafqat Mehmood claimed that more than 100 votes were transferred from the UC-112 to other areas. Jamaat Islami Punjab Amir Mian Maqsood claimed several relatives of police officers, including those of the inspector general, were too contesting LB polls.
Awami Tehreek Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said it was impossible to conduct a free and transparent election without army. Pakistan Muslim League-Q Lahore chief Mian Muhammad Munir said: "The ECP barred the government from announcing any development work after announcement of polls schedule, but the government is spending Rs billions which is pre-poll rigging." A PTI delegation, headed by Sarwar, earlier met officials of the Provincial Election Commission where Provincial Election Commissioner Masood Ahmed Malik assured that the PTI would get the verified voter lists of recently held by-polls in NA-122 and the 2013 general elections. The PTI voiced concerns over inclusion of "batsman" as electoral symbol for the LB polls, claiming the symbol could create confusion for its voters, but Commissioner Malik declined, saying it was impossible to change it.
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