Pakistan: Nationwide protests erupted among followers who alleged “brazen rigging” in the February 8 General elections, yet no political party secured a decisive mandate. In response, the Punjab police apprehended a leader of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad.
PTI faced significant obstacles leading up to the national polls, with rallies prohibited and the party symbol revoked. Moreover, numerous PTI candidates were disqualified from standing for election.
Despite these challenges, PTI defied expectations by securing over 100 seats in the National Assembly with independent candidates. Subsequently, PTI urged its supporters to protest against the alleged election rigging, asserting it was deprived of a “two-thirds majority” in parliament.
During a demonstration in Lahore, police arrested Salman Akram Raja, who had contested the national polls from NA-128 but purportedly lost the contest. Raja claimed his arrest was unlawful, affirming his solidarity with the people and commitment to seeking justice.
Speaking to the media, Raja alleged that he had initially led by a margin of 100,000 votes before being unjustly removed from the election office, only to discover the following day that his opponent had secured 72,000 more votes, resulting in his defeat. He also alleged his defeat happened due to rigging.
PTI condemned Raja’s arrest as “pathetic” and demanded his immediate release.
