Pakistan opposition unanimously rejects results, demands re-election
Islamabad, July 28 : A multi-party conference (MPC) and Pakistan Peoples Party late on Friday rejected the just-concluded Pakistan election results, demanding a transparent and free and fair re-election.
A multi-party conference (MPC), called to devise a joint strategy over alleged rigging in the 2018 general elections of Pakistan, demanded a "transparent" re-election and said the polls were "rigged massively" and the results were manipulated.
Attended by leaders of various parties, the MPC was chaired by PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman. It was held at the Islamabad residence of MMA leader Mian Aslam, Dawn reported.
"The APC (all parties conference) has completely rejected the July 25 elections with consensus," announced Rehman while addressing the media after the conference concluded.
"We do not consider this election to be the mandate of the public."
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had earlier on Friday decided not to attend the conference, with a spokesperson saying its leadership will devise its own strategy regarding alleged poll irregularities.
The chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari rejected the election process and claimed the General Election 2018 was not free and fair, Geo News reported.
Bilawal, while addressing a press conference on Friday, demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner over failure to conduct transparent polls.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is responsible for carrying out transparent polls and that the electoral body failed in its task.
"We don't accept the results of the elections," he said.
In attendance at the MPC were Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq, Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, National Party's Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo and several MMA leaders.
PML-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Chaudhry Tanveer and Khurram Dastagir and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leaders Mustafa Kamal, Raza Haroon and Waseem Ahmed also participated.
Interestingly, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar also showed up to the conference, despite reports that his party has agreed to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government in the centre after a contact between PTI leader Jehangir Tareen and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
Speaking at the MPC, Sattar alleged that the July 25 polls were "rigged massively" and the results were altered.
"Results of their choice were devised and the party of their choice was made to win," he claimed. The MMA had on Thursday rejected the poll results outright, calling for declaring the entire electoral exercise "null and void".
The recently revived alliance of five religio-political parties suffered a drubbing in the elections and even its chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and JI chief Sirajul Haq tasted defeat in their native constituencies.
The PML-N too had decided to take all major parties, including the PPP and obviously excluding the PTI, on board to formulate a joint strategy to take up the rigging issue that it believes has deprived it of majority in the coming National Assembly.
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Maharashtra assembly session begins with full recital of 'Vande Mataram'
Nagpur (PTI): Members of the Maharashtra assembly on Monday recited the full version of 'Vande Mataram' on the opening day of the legislature's winter session here, marking the 150th anniversary of the national song.
The House proceedings began with the customary recital of the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, followed by 'Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha', the official state song.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar said, "It is a tradition of the legislature to recite the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram on the first day of every session. However, as this year marks 150 years since its composition, the House will recite the entire song."
The legislators then recited the full song.
Notably, the Lok Sabha has listed 'Discussion on the 150th anniversary of national song Vande Mataram' on Monday and allocated 10 hours for the debate.
The debate in Parliament is part of the year-long celebrations on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, a poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and set to tune by Jadunath Bhattacharya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hit out at the Congress, accusing it of removing key stanzas from the song in 1937 and sowing the seeds of partition.
On November 7, Modi launched year-long celebrations to commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram, aimed especially at youth and students to deepen awareness of the song's significance.
During the assembly session, Narwekar also announced the names Chainsukh Sancheti, Kishor Patil, Rahul Patil, Uttamrao Jankar, Ramdas Masram, Sameer Kunawar and Saroj Ahire as presiding officers. They will chair proceedings in the speaker's absence.
