Fawad Chaudhry accuses ECP of 'rigging' in Punjab by-elections

LAHORE: Former Information Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of rigging in Punjab by-elections, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the former federal minister said that the election commission was involved in ‘rigging’ the Punjab by-elections.

“The Courts have rejected every decision of the electoral watchdog. Today, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended the Election Commission’s notification to appoint polling agents from the respective constituencies,” he added.

The PTI leader claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) threatened a factory owner – Malik Zulfiqar – to increase people’s strength in Maryam Nawaz’s Multan rally.

“The Punjab government is registering fake cases and using state machinery against PTI candidates,” he said, adding that anyone who joins PTI in Punjab is being considered a ‘criminal’.

Fawad Chaudhry further said that the Budget session didn’t took place in Punjab and whatever is being spent is illegal. “The provincial government are arresting people who are supporting and campaigning for PTI in Punjab by-polls,” he added.

The former minister vowed to win at least 16 seats in the Punjab by-elections, scheduled to be held tomorrow (July 17) despite the ‘obstacles’ by the provincial government.