The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated former minister Omar Ayub as its candidate for the prime minister's slot.
This was announced by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser while speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where he held a meeting with PTI Founder Imran Khan.
Asad Qaiser also hoped that the prime minister will be from the PTI, adding that the party's mandate was stolen during the recently held elections.
He further announced that the PTI will launch a protest movement across the country, the date for which will be announced by the evening. "Rallies and protests will be held all over the country," he added.
He claimed he had been asked to contact all political parties, as everyone from Maulana Fazlur Rahman, ANP, Qaumi Watan Party and others were also protesting.
Moreover, Qaiser said there was no discussion on nominating someone for the National Assembly speakership or Punjab chief minister.
The PTI leader called the February 8 election the worst in the country's history, claiming that even at the global level, no one was accepting this poll. "I will contact various political parties," he asserted. He insisted that this was the first time that an election has been shamelessly rigged.
"No one will accept this rigging," he claimed, adding that their opponents can neither solve people's problems nor represent the country in the world.
He also made it clear that the PTI-backed winners of the recent elections would not vacate their seats and sit in the assemblies. "A meeting of the parliamentary party will be called in a day or two," he added.
Regrading the US, Qaiser said there was concern over Washington’s silence on rigging in the recent general election. “America acts like the voice of democracy in the whole world, but both the US and Europe have maintained silence on rigging in the elections in Pakistan,” he stressed.
He further said that they wanted to remind the US and Europe of their responsibility that the basic democratic rights of the people of Pakistan were being stolen. “We want the rule of law and the Constitution,” he remarked.
Qaiser also urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the alleged rigging, saying that representation of the people was the right of those who got votes.
'US should increase pressure over election fraud'
Accompanying Asad Qaiser was Barrister Saif, who said America's cosmetic statement about the elections was not enough and that the US should increase pressure on those involved in the poll fraud.
He said there was rigging and maladministration galore during the elections. “Attempts were made to exclude the PTI from the election through various tactics.”
He also conveyed Imran Khan’s special message for the US, saying the PTI founder wanted this to be highlighted and given as much weight as possible. He quoted Imran Khan as saying that the US did not fulfill its duty against the anti-PTI measures, adding that America has always patronized and imposed dictators and installed corrupt people as rulers.
Imran Khan further said that this was an opportunity for the US to rectify its past actions, adding that Washington should keep an eye on election rigging in Pakistan.
“It is America’s responsibility to raise its voice on the transparency of elections in Pakistan.”
Moreover, Saif revealed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MPA-elect Aqibullah will be the party candidate for the KP Assembly speakership.
He also rejected the reports of forming a government with the PPP and called them fabricated, adding that Imran Khan had said he would prefer sitting in the opposition than allying with the PML-N and PPP.
Saif also claimed that the PTI could talk to the PTI-Parliamentarians but so far no contact had been established. "The PTI founder has made it clear that there will be no talks with PPP and PML-N," he asserted.
