PTI demands probe into 'manipulation' of Pak poll results after heated exchange between Kakar, Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded an independent inquiry after Pakistan's former caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi got into a heated exchange, The Express Tribune reported. A PTI spokesperson said the heated exchange between the two leaders served as an insight to expose the alleged stealing of its electoral malfeasance, according to the report.

After the exchange of words between Kakar and Abbasi, PTI demanded a judicial commission to hold accountable those involved in the wheat import scheme and electoral manipulation. The spokesperson demanded a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the alleged manipulation of election results and the fabrication of Form-47. PTI's statement came after reports detailed a tense confrontation between Kakar and Abbasi.

During the heated exchange, Kakar purportedly issued a warning, suggesting that revealing certain information about Form-47 could leave the party nowhere to hide, according to The Express Tribune report. Tensions between the two leaders started over the wheat scandal during a meeting at a private hotel, The Express Tribune reported, citing the sources familiar with the matter. Abbasi allegedly faced criticism for blaming Kakar's tenure as Pakistan's Caretaker PM for a wheat scam during a television interview. In its statement, PTI criticized Kakar's alleged intimidation tactics, particularly considering his constitutional obligation to ensure fair and transparent polls.

Imran Khan's party demanded a transparent probe into the matter considering the gravity of the accusations exchanged between the two leaders. PTI spokesperson called for the need for accountability and stressed that rather than admitting their faults, those accused of electoral manipulation and mismanagement are resorting to blame-shifting, The Express Tribune reported. The spokesperson emphasized the repercussions of alleged mismanagement under the Kakar-led government, especially the wheat crisis, which has affected farmers and necessitated costly wheat imports. Imran Khan's party criticized the federal government's handling of the wheat import probe, terming it a 'dubious event' to shield wrongdoers.

On May 2, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) issued a white paper on alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections, and demanded the formation of the judicial commission to probe the "snatching of the 180 seats," reported Geo News. While addressing a press conference on Thursday, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar said, "We won 180 seats in the (February 8) elections. Our seats were given to other parties through Form 47." The PTI chief emphasized that they had filed a petition in the apex court against the alleged rigging."But the plea has not been fixed for hearing as yet," Gohar lamented.

"We are issuing a 300-page white paper to bring it to the notice of the people as to how their mandate was stolen," Barrister Gohar said, reported Geo News. Notably, the PTI-backed independent candidates won the most National Assembly seats in recent general elections followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). However later, the PML-N with the support of the other parties, including the PPP formed a coalition government in the centre and later became the single largest party in the lower house of the parliament following the allocation of the reserved seats.

Underscoring the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to declare the party's intra-party polls as invalid, the PTI chief said that his party was forced to contest the general elections without its iconic 'bat' electoral symbol. "Our victory was turned into defeat by (manipulating) election results in the Form 47," he added. Moreover, Gohar stressed that the white paper is based on the reports of international organizations, foreign media and newspapers. He further called for carrying out the electoral reforms to eliminate rigging in the polls once and for all.