PESHAWAR - To express their resentment over alleged rigging in the general elections, Awami National Party activists held out protest rallies across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and stressed the Election Commission to accept its failure and hold re-election in the country.

In district Charsadda, a big rally was staged in Farooq Azam Square, which was led by the ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan. The rally was also attended by local leadership of the party and large number of the party workers.

Addressing on the occasion, Asfandyar blamed judiciary and Election Commission, among other state institutions, for playing role in ‘record rigging’ in the history of the country and said that the only way to redress their reservation was re-election in the country.

He said that during the month of Ramazan, an all parties’ delegation had held meeting with officials of the Election Commission and suggested limited role of army in the polling process, adding that at that time, the Election Commission had assured them to put in place their recommendations in the general election.

He added that through a well-hatched conspiracy, Pakhtun leadership was kept out from the Parliament. If ANP was pushed toward the wall, then it would not be a good omen for the country, he warned. He alleged that after polling, the polling agents were ousted from the polling stations and at the mean time, the elections were rigged in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He maintained that placing Form 45 on Election Commission website would not work anymore after five days as there is no signature of polling agents on the form. He said that all these excuses were just face saving tactics on the part of the Election Commission.

He said that Baloch, Punjab and Sindh leadership was given access to the Parliament but through a pre-planned conspiracy, Pakhtun leadership was kept out of the Parliament. He said that it would be a dream to bring stability in the country while creating hurdles for the ANP and giving a free hand to the PTI. He announced that the ANP would support Akhtar Mengal in Balochistan and would decide their future line of action as per the APC decisions. He said that if other political parties agreed to take oath, the ANP would follow the decision.

In Peshawar, the ANP rally was led by Haji Ghulam Bilour and Malak Ghulam Mustafa. The participants strongly condemned alleged rigging in the elections and demanded to hold re-election in the country.

Addressing on the occasion, the speakers said that Election Commission had broken all records of rigging and the day was not far when they would be exposed before the people. The rally started from Namak Mandi Square and ended at Ashraf Road.

Similarly, in Buner, a rally was held in Sawari Bazar, led by ANP Buner President Karim Babak. Addressing on the occasion, the speakers said that the ANP would not accept the result of the elections and would demand re-election in the country.

They said that the Election Commission and judiciary played big role in pre-poll and rigging on the polling day and paved the way for a specific party to win the election.

A protest rally was also held in Swabi. The rally was led by Bushra Gohar and other leaders of the party. Addressing on the occasion, the ANP Central Vice President Bushra Gohar said that the party had serious reservation over the general election and the party leadership had rejected the results and demanded re-election in the country.