In Karachi, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared its boycott of the upcoming Senate polls in Sindh as a protest against alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections. Additionally, the party has outlined plans to organize a large rally in Karachi on April 28.
During a press conference in Sindh’s provincial capital, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh asserted that the party would refrain from participating in elections conducted within an assembly formed through rigged elections. Sheikh further alleged that PTI candidates were abducted during by-elections in Sindh in an attempt to obstruct their participation in the electoral process. According to him, a returning officer (RO) rejected the nomination papers of the PTI candidate intending to contest a by-election at NA-207 seat in Shaheed Benazirabad against PPP’s candidate Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari.
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“Our candidate was subsequently abducted while en route to the election tribunal to challenge the RO’s decision,” he stated. He added that if Aseefa, the youngest daughter of the late Benazir Bhutto, truly resembled her mother, she would emerge victorious in the election after contesting it.
On March 29, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari was elected unopposed as a Member National Assembly (MNA) after all opposing candidates withdrew their nomination papers. Aseefa secured the NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad-I seat, left vacant following her father Asif Ali Zardari’s election as president.
Haleem Adil Sheikh asserted that while PTI emerged victorious on February 8, it was allegedly defeated through rigging on February 9. “We refuse to be part of this corrupt system. Consequently, our candidate will not participate in the Senate polls from Sindh,” he declared.
Sheikh announced that PTI would not permit other parties, particularly the PPP, to govern based on an allegedly stolen election, and would initiate a protest movement in the coming days. “On April 28, we will organize a public rally in Karachi. We will not negotiate with this unlawful government,” he affirmed.
