Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has accused the Election Commision of Pakistan (ECP) of appointing media mogul Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as caretaker chief minister to ‘rig’ the upcoming elections in Punjab.
“Mohsin Naqvi has been appointed by the same people who redlined us. Now they will make all-out efforts to defeat our party in the elections through rigging,” he said in a televised news conference on Monday.
The PTI chairman’s statement comes a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) appointed Naqvi as the caretaker after the ruling party and the opposition in the province failed to reach consensus on any name for the post.
In his address, Imran asked his supporters and party workers to stage protests outside ECP offices against Naqvi’s appointment.
“I am inviting all of you to take to the streets from tomorrow for your future. If we accept his appointment then there would be no difference between us and sheep,” he remarked.
He accused the ECP of causing irreparable damage to the country, saying that he is going to challenge the appointment of the caretaker CM in court.
“I have never seen such a dishonest election commission. They always give verdicts against us. The names that we gave for caretaker chief minister were honest people.”
Imran said the role of caretaker set-up is like a “neutral umpire,” adding: “The appointment of Mohsin Naqvi proved the partiality of the election commission.”
