Prohibitory orders imposed in Islamabad as Imran Khan’s party begins protests against polls rigging

Islamabad: Authorities on Saturday imposed prohibitory orders here in Pakistan’s capital as jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party began nationwide protests against alleged rigging and stealing of its mandate in the recent elections.

Criticising the outcome of the polls, which saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party-backed independent candidates emerging as the largest group by winning over 90 National Assembly seats, the PTI announced holding countrywide ‘peaceful protests’ against what it termed ‘record-high rigging’.

The protests began with a march in Wana in South Waziristan of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The party has decided to sit in the Opposition in Parliament.

“The PTI has called for country-wide protests against the unprecedented, massive, brazen rigging in general elections 2024, where PTI’s win of 180 National Assembly seats and a two-thirds majority in the parliament, was cut down to half,” the party said in a statement.

“The 2024 elections would be remembered in the country’s history due to the scale of rigging” PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said.