Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday expressed his resentment over Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) resorting to violence and rigging to undermine ongoing local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said that the ruling party “is resorting to violence and rigging,” and trying to undermine people’s choice, reported Geo News. “PTI has sunk to new depths in its attempts to rig local body elections,” he added. KP is holding the first phase of the local government elections in its 17 districts. The polls will be held in the rest of KP next month. Referring to the fatal attack on ANP’s candidate in Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday night, the PPP chairman alleged that the incident was also part of a series of events that emerged before and during the ballot, reported Geo News. He said that the deceased candidate’s family has accused a PTI minister of “trying to bribe him [candidate] and later killing him.” “In Peshawar PTI people were caught red-handed stamping ballot papers the night before polling. All-day, there have been reports of PTI [members] ransacking polling stations attacking polling staff including women,” he wrote. He said that the ruling party had taken rigging to a new level, which shows the “desperation and unpopularity” of the government it leads, reported Geo News. “This is what a desperately unpopular government looks like.” Bilawal called on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take action against the rigging and ensure free and fair elections, reported Geo News. He also urged the people of KP to come in large numbers to use their right to vote instead of getting dissuaded by “PTI’s tactics”, and requested the PPP workers to report violations to the party’s election cells or directly to the ECP.
