How were the general elections held in Pakistan?
Former pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party has released a white paper regarding alleged 'rigging' in the february 8 general elections. Khan's party has also demanded setting up of a judicial commission to investigate the 'snatching of 180 seats in Parliament'. There was a fractured mandate in the february 8 general elections. Independent candidates supported by Khan's party pakistan Tarreek-e-Insaf had won 93 seats in the 336-member National Assembly. Former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif's pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 75 seats in the election, while Bilawal Zardari Bhutto-led pakistan People's party (PPP) came third with 54 seats. Muttahida Qaumi Movement pakistan (MQM-P) had won 17 seats.
Imran Khan is in jail
Imran Khan is in jail in various cases. His party has said the powerful establishment had favored Sharif's PML-N and the election commission of pakistan (ECP) had used a different form for the results, 'stealing its mandate'. “We won 180 seats in the (February 8) elections,” pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister gauhar khan said at a press conference along with other party leaders in Islamabad on Thursday. Our seats were given to other parties through Form 47.”
Petition filed in supreme Court
Gauhar said that she has filed a petition in the supreme court against the alleged rigging. "But the petition has not yet been listed for hearing," he lamented. Gauhar said, "We are releasing a 300-page white paper to bring to people's attention how their mandate Stolen.'' He said the white paper is based on reports from international organisations, foreign media and newspapers. There has been a call for reforms to end election rigging once and for all.
