Imran calls for fresh protest outside ECP in capital to demand CEC’s resignation

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has made a fresh call for a protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Islamabad on August 4, Thursday, to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

In an address to party members during PTI’s National Council Meeting on Thursday, Imran Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab’s assemblies had passed resolutions against the CEC, adding that they had lost confidence in him.

He spoke about his government’s attempts to introduce the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), in order to ensure “free and transparent elections”, but the efforts were ‘sabotaged by the CEC’ so that a system of rigging could be ensured for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party.

The former premier said that the [current] ECP should under no circumstances oversee the next general elections.

Imran Khan said that the party’s biggest concern was rigging in the recent by-elections in Punjab, but it still was victorious “despite multiple attempts”.

The PTI chairman also spoke about the ruling government, saying that it had lost its credibility, both at the national and international level.

Imran Khan pointed to the extent of the worsening situation that had made the army chief request the International Monetary Fund for disbursal of the loan.

He stated that time had exposed the “incompetence” of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, adding that it was clear that they [the incumbent government] never thought about the economy.

He further said that they did not have a roadmap to stabilise the country and only wanted an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance].