APC rejects election results, vows to demand fresh polls

ISLAMABAD: An All Parties Conference (APC) convened to devise strategy against alleged rigging in July 25 general elections rejected the poll results and vowed to start a movement to demand fresh elections, ARY News reported on Friday.

Speaking to media after the conference, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) chief Fazlur Rehman announced that all parties have rejected the polls and will launch a movement to demand fresh polls.

Fazl also said that other than Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif, all the other parties who attended the conference have decided not to take oath as lawmakers on their respective assembly seats.

“We don’t consider this mandate as people’s mandate and won’t allow looters of the mandate to enter the august house (National Assembly),” said Maulana Fazlur Rehman who headed multi-party alliance, the MMA.

 

He was of the view that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to hold transparent polls even after spending billions.

“We will stage protests to demand fresh elections and will form committees to devise a comprehensive strategy for such protests,” said Fazl.

He added that the PML-N president will consult his party to come on one page regarding the suggestion of not taking oath on their respective assembly seats.

The APC was attended by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq, Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, National Party’s Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and several MMA leaders.

PML-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Chaudhry Tanveer and Khurram Dastagir and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leaders Mustafa Kamal, Raza Haroon and Waseem Ahmed also participated.

Surprisingly, MQM’s former supremo Farooq Sattar also attended the conference against his party’s advice.

The PPP too had raised objections over electoral process but none of its representatives attended the APC.