ISLAMABAD: The chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to allot reserved seats to Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Speaking at a presser here, he said that the people have given their mandate, and the commission must respect the made of the people and give a favourable decision with regard to seats reserved for women and minorities.

“These reserved seats belong to SIC, no other political party can lay claim to them,” he maintained, adding “those flexing muscles to clinch them under one pretext or another should know we will continue our fight as no one can snatch our seats”.

He further said that the Punjab and Sindh assemblies’ sessions called a day earlier were held against the law. He said assemblies’ sessions cannot be convened till all parties are allotted reserved seats.

His remarks come shortly after the ECP heard the party’s plea seeking allotment of reserved seats to the SIC.

Meanwhile, the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan handpicked Amir Dogar as the party’s candidate for National Assembly speaker.

Speaking at a presser, after a meeting PTI founding chairman in Adiala jail, PTI secretary general Omar Ayub, said that for the post of deputy NA speaker, the former premier had nominated Junaid Khan.

The PTI leader said that he felt good after having met Imran after a long time. “He is in good spirits,” Ayub said, adding that the PTI supremo was willing to fight against poll rigging till the end since all party-backed candidates had their Forms 45s with them.

He said that PTI would stage countrywide protests against the rigging in polls alongside other political parties, adding, “Our seats were stolen with just a stroke of pen and the people gave the mandate to Imran Khan”.

“The nation’s mandate and our seats have been attacked. The successful PTI-backed candidate had the Forms 45s. We’ll protest in courts and assemblies as ours is the fight of truth,” he added.

PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat, accompanying Ayub at the talk, said that the party’s elected members will take oath during the National Assembly session scheduled for February 29.

He further said that the PTI chief had called for holding a countrywide protest against the alleged rigging in Feb 8 elections on Saturday.

Marwat said that Imran Khan has tasked him with leading the party’s protest against “mandate theft” in Islamabad on Saturday (March 2).

He said that the demonstration will be held between 11am and noon. Marwat said protesters will gather at F-9 and march to the National Press Club.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024