PTI founder to push for IMF aid suspension over alleged 'election rigging', says Zafar
Pakistan
PTI founder to push for IMF aid suspension over alleged ‘election rigging’, says Zafar
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will send a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), asking the money lender to cease its monetary support for Pakistan due to alleged "electoral rigging," party leader Ali Zafar announced on Thursday following a meeting with the cricketer-turned-politician at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
"Today, the PTI founder will dispatch a letter to the IMF,” Senator Zafar informed a group of journalists, emphasising that according to the charters of the IMF, European Union and similar institutions, their assistance or loans to a nation were contingent upon the presence of “good governance”.
According to Barrister Zafar, a fundamental tenet of these charters was the requirement for democratic governance. "These institutions are not meant to operate within nations without a democratic system in place. And the basic pillar of democracy is free and fair elections."
Unfortunately, the recent election was marred by allegations of manipulation, the PTI senator stated, adding, “The entire world saw how the public mandate was stolen.”
Highlighting instances of alleged electoral malpractice, Zafar accompanied by PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan mentioned that apart from pre-election irregularities, the PTI-backed winning candidates were unfairly denied victory afterward.
Zafar further lamented the lack of authorisation to visit PTI founder’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, who is currently detained at the Bani Gala residence serving as a sub-jail.
Pakistan's previous $3 billion IMF programme, secured last year, helped stave off a sovereign debt crisis. However, with its expiration imminent, securing a new, larger agreement is a pressing concern for the new government.
Amidst the formation of a coalition government between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and their allies, the PTI and other parties have rejected the results and announced nationwide protests alleging irregularities in the 2024 general elections.
Moreover, the PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and others have demanded Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja resign over his failure to ensure free and fair elections.
