Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, the Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, strongly criticized the imposition of Article 144 on the last day of campaigning for the upcoming by-elections.
He called it a sign of civil dictatorship in Punjab and expressed serious concerns about what he sees as a violation of constitutional, legal, and political rights.
From Lahore, Bhachar accused Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of being involved in curtailing these fundamental rights. “The election commission is inactive. How can there be fair elections when Section 144 is in place?” he questioned.
He urged the higher judiciary to intervene, stating that the Punjab government is consistently disregarding the Constitution.
Additionally, Bhachar criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan, calling it incompetent and claiming it has failed to fulfill its duties adequately. He described Punjab as a “prison of civil dictatorship.”
Bhachar alleged that police conducted “horrific” raids on the homes of former and current candidates on Thursday night, detaining many assembly members. He also claimed that police vandalized election candidates’ offices, worsening the already tense situation.
