ISLAMABAD – Former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan has renewed his demand for free and fair general elections in the country shortly after his political party emerged victorious in by-elections in Punjab.
PTI won 15 seats while ruling PML-N bagged only four seats in by-elections held in 20 provincial assembly constituencies of Punjab.
The seats fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified 25 PTI lawmakers for giving votes to PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz in elections for Punjab chief minister slot.
The top election body held fresh elections in 20 constituencies as five of the disqualified members were elected on reserved seats.
In a couple of Tweets, Imran Khan congratulated PTI workers and allies for defeating the PML-N in by-elections.
“I want to first thank our PTI workers & voters of Punjab for defeating not just PMLN candidates but the entire state machinery, esp harassment by police, & a totally biased ECP. Thank you to all our Allies, PMLQ, MWM & Sunni Ittehad Council,” he wrote.
“The only way forward from here is to hold fair & free elections under a credible ECP,” he said in a Twitter post. “Any other path will only lead to greater political uncertainty & further economic chaos.”
Meanwhile, the PML-N has conceded defeat in the election. Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who led PML-N’s election campaing, said that the party should generously accept the results.