News Analysis |
The Grand Opposition alliance is protesting outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Islamabad today with threats to extend the protests to main roads of the twin city. The anti-PTI parties which includes Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Awami National Party (ANP), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), and National Party (NP) have aligned against the government in waiting after election defeat.
The so-called grand alliance is looking to rock the capital amid allegations of Election Day rigging in July 25 elections. The leadership of all the parties is expected to attend the protests. The alliance has renamed itself under the banner of Pakistan Alliance for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFE) which is comprised of 11 political parties formed to protest against the elections rigged in favor of PTI.
PTI has the mandate of the people after securing 16.8 million votes, which gives Imran liberty to reform and revamp the old system to bring Pakistan of current economic turmoil. In face of major hurdles facing PTI, Imran is up for a serious test.
All the participating parties have directed the heir winners, ticket-holders in election 2018 and senators to participate in the demonstration. The rivals of PTI have appealed the masses through social media to come and attend the demonstration. The JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in his video has directed its ticket holders to attend the demonstration and has demanded the chief election commissioner to resign from his position.
The participants of the rally have been directed to gather at the Parliament House after 12 pm on Wednesday. The protesters will march up to the ECP office from parliament house. Capital police have chalked out a security plan, to secure and contain the protestors. Besides, 500 police officers will be deployed in the Red Zone and outside the ECP premises. It is believed that only elected members of the parliament would be allowed to reach the ECP offices.
Read more: Grand opposition alliance to stage second APC today
The opposition parties have so far held three-All Parties Conference’s (APC), after the July 25 elections to mull ways to counter the emergence of third political force in the country. After PTI’s emergence as the largest party in the elections, opposition parties are crying foul and have blamed the military establishment for managing the Election Day process.
The status quo parties have found it hard to stomach the win of Imran’s PTI. The expected reform agenda of upcoming government may threaten their survival in the next general elections. Having seen the PTI’s emphatic win in KP after a heartening performance of the party (PTI) in last five years, MMA faces an existential crisis in the country.
The Grand Opposition alliance is all set to protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Islamabad today with threats to extend the protests to main roads of the twin city.
In a bid to condemn the electoral process which was praised by the independent observers and the ECP, the defeated bigwigs who have never learned to survive without power and are trying to make the elections controversial to make the way back into power corridors. Despite the assurances from Imran Khan that his party is ready for a recount in all the constituencies where manipulation is suspected.
The defeated parties have decided to hit the streets which ideally should have been a last resort, in case, if the elected government had denied them the right to recount and allow the forensic examination of the electoral process in the constituencies of choice. It is apparently a ploy to make the elections controversial and to not allow the democratically elected party to lead the country out of the economic crises.
Read more: Grand opposition alliance ready to challenge Imran’s next government
All the top brass of the political elite- Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Captain (retired) Safdar, Imran Ali, and Khawaja Saad Rafique, Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Captain (retired) Safdar, Imran Ali, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Yusuf Raza Gilani are facing corruption/money laundering-related investigations. Under Imran’s slogan of change where institutions will be empowered to take the corrupt elements across the board, fearful/threatened leaders have formulated a strategy to thwart PTI’s government in waiting.
PTI has the mandate of the people after securing 16.8 million votes, which gives Imran liberty to reform and revamp the old system to bring Pakistan of current economic turmoil. In face of major hurdles facing PTI, Imran is up for a serious test. PTI has the mandate of the people after securing 16.8 million votes. It allows Imran a chance to reform and revamp the old system to bring Pakistan out of current economic turmoil. In face of major hurdles facing the PTI, Imran is up for a serious test.