Amid tight security, the members and supporters of the PTI staged protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) office’s across the country on Thursday over the body’s alleged "biased attitude".
The protestors that had gathered outside the ECP’s headquarters stated that they were demonstrating against the electoral body’s “biased attitude” towards the PTI. They also demanded the ECP conclude the foreign funding case filed by the PTI against PML-N and PPP.
Apart from the foreign funding case, the protestors also demanded the ECP unseat the dissident MNAs of the PTI, adding that if the ECP fails to do so, then it would be “violating” the Constitution.
Many PTI leaders and AML leader Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed addressed the protestors outside the ECP headquarters.
Sheikh Rasheed, who was also the interior minister during the previous government, said that if the ruling coalition wants the country not to head towards “civil war”, then elections should be held before May 30.
“They (coalition government) used to demand elections now why are they running away from it?” asked Rasheed adding that elections cannot be stopped.
On the other hand, PTI leader Shibli Faraz said that the party was recording a “symbolic protest” outside the ECP’s office.
The former science and technology minister also alleged that the government had blocked all roads leading to the ECP headquarters which had stopped many people from gathering.
Apart from the protests outside the ECP headquarters in Islamabad, the protests were also held outside the electoral body’s provincial headquarters in Quetta, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. Apart from the ECP’s main office and provincial headquarters, the protests were also held in other districts of the country.
Security tight outside ECP offices
Ahead of the protests, the security was tightened outside the ECP office across the country, especially its headquarters.
The interior ministry had sent letters to the four chief secretaries, the Islamabad commissioner and the inspector-general to provide security to the ECP offices because of the protests. The officials were also told to increase security for the four provincial chief election commissioners.
In Islamabad, barbed wires were placed outside the entrance of the ECP building as well as containers. A prisoner van was also placed outside the ECP’s headquarters in Islamabad.
