SWABI: Awami National Party central and provincial leaders on Tuesday asked for an end to the establishment’s alleged role in politics, saying that the powers that be would have to decide whether they wanted to let Pakistan run by the Constitution or their ‘own will’.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan, Ameer Haider Hoti and general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak spoke at a public gathering held at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk here to kick start the party’s protest campaign against the alleged rigging in the Feb 8 elections and manipulation of results.

During the gathering, all roads passing through the thoroughfare remained blocked, and the traffic police had to divert the traffic to avoid rush. However, commuters faced problems as they remained stuck in traffic for hours.

The gathering echoed with the slogans ‘namano dandali’ in Pashto (rigging is not acceptable).

Launches protest campaign against ‘rigging’ from Swabi

Mr Hoti declared if the establishment planned to run the country according its own will then there was no need of holding elections.

“Elections were held in such a way that no one is ready to form the government at the centre because those forming the government will not enjoy powers as per the Constitution,” he quipped.

He predicted after the formation of the government, the first attack would be on the 18th Amendment and the second would be on the provincial autonomy. “However, we are not ready to compromise on these two issues at any cost and will resist such attempts.”

He said the recent elections were “worst” in the country’s history, defaming Pakistan and harming the budding democratic process. “We demand reopening of all the national and provincial assembly constituencies for poll audit,” he stressed.

“We want the biometric of every vote in front of the media. We do not trust the Election Commission of Pakistan. The decisions made in closed rooms are not acceptable to us,” Mr Hoti said.

“We have strong reservations about the integrity and credibility of polls held on Feb 8,” he remarked. “The ECP should address the complaints about the illegalities committed in the election results.”

On the occasion, Aimal Wali said: “The elections were managed.”

Asserting that there was no role of establishment in politics as per the Constitution, he asked the party workers to promise that they would wage a struggle to end the ‘undue interference’ of the powers that be in politics. He claimed that the ANP won’t accept the ‘rigged’ polls.

He insisted the ANP was not fighting for coveted slots, but rather it was fighting for the rights of Pakhtuns, their better future.

“Raising voice against rigged election is our constitutional right,” said Mr Babak on the occasion.

He said: “Those who were declared elected in the elections will be just rubber stamps always looking up to their masters.”

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2024