ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan raised one of his old demands yet again when he called for the resignation of all provincial chief election commissioners and said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) must be held responsible for whatever mismanagement marred Saturday’s local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

But in the same breath, a triumphant-looking Khan claimed that his party was bringing “real change to KP” as over 41,000 councillors, who will constitute various tiers of the local governments in the province, were elected over the weekend.

Addressing a press conference at his Bani Gala residence on Sunday, he demanded a thorough investigation to determine what the loopholes were that led to a crisis-like situation in certain districts, where opposing parties accused each other of rigging and fraud.

Mr Khan also asked the Chief Elec­tion Commissioner retired Justice Sar­dar Mohammad Raza Khan to constitute election tribunals, which should take only one month to decide on election petitions. Mr Khan said that none of his party’s candidates would opt for stay orders.

Distances himself, party from Mian Iftikhar’s arrest

“Whatever law and order situation has been reported on election day —which was to be expected given the number of candidates contesting the polls – the ECP is responsible for it because all of KP’s police and civil administration were at its disposal,” the PTI chairman said, hitting out at the ECP for failing to take sufficient measures to conduct peaceful elections.

“Didn’t the ECP know the number of candidates and ballots — seven — which each voter was supposed to cast,” Mr Khan asked, adding, “I personally think the ECP should have opted for division-wise polls for smooth running.”

Mr Khan said the PTI had endorsed the appointment of CEC Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan as a thorough professional, but, the party still believed, all four other provincial election commissioners must quit their positions. “Since as many as 21 political parties have claimed that the last general elections were rigged, the provincial election commissioners have no right to keep their positions.”

Putting up a robust defence for KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Mr Khan said, “On each reported incident I telephoned Mr Khattak to get his input, but he has no control whatsoever over the provincial administration on matters specifically related to law and order at polling stations.”

Even then, Mr Khan told the media, he had asked the CM to carry out an inquiry to find out how the provincial government could better prepare itself for elections at this level.

The PTI chairman also didn’t miss the chance to remind the PML-N-ruled Punjab and PPP-led Sindh governments of their failure to hold local bodies elections in their provinces.

“The KP government was ready to hold local government elections way back in 2013, but it was continued reluctance by the Sindh and Punjab governments on various pretexts, which forced us to delay until now.”

When asked about the alleged involvement of some senior PTI leaders in the election violence, Mr Khan said that the law must prevail. “If proven guilty, nobody will stay in the party. Even ministers will be sent home.”

He was flanked by newly-appointed PTI Information Secretary Naeemul Haq and his spokesperson Dr Shireen Mazari.

Mian Iftikhar’s arrest

Mr Khan also distanced himself and his party’s CM Pervez Khattak from the arrest of senior ANP leader, Mian Iftikhar Hussain.

“Let me say on record, neither I nor the KP CM have anything to do with Mian Iftikhar’s arrest. Police are independently handling the case on their own. The KP inspector general can be contacted in this regard,” he said.

Responding to criticism from the PML-N and PPP leadership, who had criticised the PTI government for arresting Mr Iftikhar — a well-respected leader — Mr Khan said, “Unlike Sindh and Punjab, where Asif Zardari and the Sharifs use the police for their personal gains, the KP police are completely independent. The KP government neither filed an FIR against the ANP leader, nor will it ask police to do anything particular in the case.”

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2015

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