Imran's PTI announces nationwide protests on Feb 17 against poll 'rigging'

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced "peaceful" protests across the nation on February 17 against the alleged rigging in the general elections conducted on February 8, Pakistan-based The News International reported.

The PTI also invited different political parties that believed that there was "rigging" in the polls to join the protest.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail, Gohar Ali Khan invited the political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and others, who believe that the recent polls were rigged, to join them in their protest on Saturday.

The PTI also rejected reports claiming that the party was forming an alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the Centre and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to The News International report.

The announcement came after source-based reports claimed that PTI founder Imran Khan had softened his stance against political rivals and had agreed to hold talks with the PPP and PTI's breakaway faction led by Parvez Khattak.

According to party sources, Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated at Adiala jail, is "ready" to hold talks with the PPP, which has already announced backing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's candidate for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, The News International reported, citing Geo News.

However, PTI leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif rejected the reports of contacting the PPP for the formation of a government. Speaking to reporters, Muhammad Ali Saif said that Imran Khan had "strictly" advised against holding talks with the PPP and PML-N.

He further said, "Reports of [PTI] forming government with PPP are misleading. The PTI founder said to sit in opposition but not to forge alliance with PPP and PML-N."

Later, Barrister Gohar Ali and Sher Afzal Marwat also ruled out a coalition with the PPP, The News International reported. The two leaders made the remarks after meeting Imran Khan in Rawalpindi.

Speaking to reporters, Marwat said, "We informed Khan sahib about PPP's messages. In response, Khan sahib flatly rejected the idea of power-sharing with either the PPP or the PML-N," Marwat told journalists.

Furthermore, Gohar Ali Khan refuted media reports claiming a proposed political alliance between the PTI and PTI-P in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said, "We will not be joining hands with the PTI-P."

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday announced support for the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) protest against alleged rigging in general elections held on February 8, ARY News reported.

According to the report, several political and nationalist parties united at the GDA platform will stage a sit-in protest at the Hyderabad-Jamshoro Interchange on Friday. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sindh spokesperson announced that party workers will attend GDA's sit-in.

In a statement, PTI alleged that the results of PTI and GDA winning candidates were changed on Form 47, ARY News reported. The preparations to stage a sit-in protest by the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) at the Hyderabad-Jamshoro Interchange against alleged rigging in the general election have been finalised.

Demonstrators from Sanghar, Thar, Khairpur, Naushehro Feroze, Sukkur Shahdadpur, Matiari, Umerkot and other areas, carrying flags, banners of Functional League and GDA, and images of Pir Pagara, have started the march towards the Hyderabad-Jamshoro Interchange.

Amid allegations of rigging and electoral malfeasance in Pakistan's general elections, re-polling was held at 53 polling stations in Khushab, Kohat, and Ghotki following the shredding of ballot papers by a mob on February 8, ARY News reported. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stated that the final results for these constituencies will be declared once all the votes are counted.