SWABI - Awami National Party (ANP) central and provincial leaders, including Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, former central senior vice-president, Aimal Wali, provincial president, and Sardar Hussain Babak, general secretary, gathered at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk in the district headquarters to voice their concerns over alleged rigging in the recent general elections. The leaders launched a protest campaign against the perceived injustice of changing Form 45, flipping winners to losers and vice versa.
Haider Hoti, expressing his dissatisfaction, emphasized the need for a decision on whether Pakistan would be run according to the constitution or the establishment’s will. He asserted that if the establishment planned to dictate the country’s course, elections and the defamation of politicians were unnecessary. He criticized the recent elections, deeming them the “worst” in the nation’s history, tarnishing Pakistan’s image and hindering democratic progress.
The leaders demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan immediately open all constituencies for scrutiny, advocating for the verification of every vote through biometrics and media coverage. Aimal Wali stated that they would not bow their heads but would adhere to constitutional means, urging party members to resist interference from any institution while asserting their constitutional rights.
Sardar Babak emphasized the constitutional right to voice concerns against rigged elections, pledging to continue the struggle until ANP’s leaders’ sacrifices were acknowledged. He predicted that those declared elected would become mere rubber stamps, following the orders of their masters. The ANP leaders expressed strong reservations about the integrity of the polls held on Feb 8, calling for the Election Commission to address complaints and ensure transparency in the electoral process.