ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman demanded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to follow through on his victory speech promise and "open all constituencies".
"We demand that every constituency be opened and that the government should not be formed on the basis of current results," said the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) as well as MMA, after a discussion between leaders of the alliance. He also demanded thumb verification of all votes.
He alleged that the PTI had emerged as the largest political party "only as a result of rigging" and should refrain from forming a cabinet [before the prime minister is elected] as it does not have majority.
"When PTI does not have the majority, other parties have the right to attempt to form the government," Rahman said, alleging that the party was engaging in the "worst horse trading in history".
Showing flexibility over his previous stance of not taking oath in the new National Assembly, he said that the Jamaat-i-Islami's (JI) suggestion that elected MMA members should sit in the NA will be taken to the All Parties Conference (APC).
Rahman also asked MMA workers to continue protesting at local level and said that a call for national protests would be given after the APC.
He also asked the ECP to accept that it has been unable to perform its constitutional duty.
Rigging allegations
Rigging allegations by various political parties — including PPP, PML-N, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and MMA — had emerged soon after results started coming in on July 25.
Parties questioned the delay in compilation of results and alleged that their polling agents were not provided Form 45 at various polling stations.
PPP has said that it would sit in the parliament despite reservations over the process while the PML-N has demanded a judicial probe into the alleged rigging.
AP