ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has demanded that the Supreme Court begin investigations into allegations of rigging in the 2013 elections and complete them within one month, under the supervision of retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid.

Addressing the participants of the sit-in at D-Chowk on Thursday, he said, “We are not ready to accept investigations supervised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but will accept them if they are headed by the Supreme Court.”

The PTI chief said the government should nominate individuals equally acceptable to the PTI and the government to investigate the rigging allegations. “We will call off the sit-in if the allegations are not proven. But if they are, we will not leave without the resignation of the prime minister,” he said.

Mr Khan said the government should set up a judicial commission through the Supreme Court under the supervision of people such as Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, whose reputation was impeccable.

Praises Narendra Modi for being ‘faithful’ to Indian people

The PTI will continue the sit-in during the month while investigations are carried out, he added.

Earlier, Imran Khan said new provinces were not the solution to the problems plaguing Pakistan. “Everyone is calling for a separate province but more provinces won’t change anything.”

He claimed that the government was set to increase gas prices but had dropped the plan out of fear of the protesting PTI. He added that the government was also planning to increase electricity prices by Rs1.50 per unit.

He again claimed credit for the government’s decision to lower fuel prices, saying that it was the protesting PTI that forced the government’s hand in this case.

Talking about people with assets in foreign countries, the PTI chief said that much had been said about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he must be appreciated for making public a list of 627 Indians with assets in foreign countries.

“Whatever you say about him, he is a faithful man,” Mr Khan said of the Indian prime minister.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2014