Bannu elders want public mandate respected

BANNU: Rejecting the allegations of rigging in the July 25 general election, a group of elders here on Saturday urged the opposition parties not to criticise the Election Commission of Pakistan and other state institutions. They were speaking at a gathering at Fazal Qadir Shaheed Park in Bannu.

The elders, including Fayyaz Dawar, Malik Nadim Bajauri, Insafullah Mohmand, Jamshed Orakzai, Gulzar Hussain, Fida Muhammad, Khan Marjan, Abdullah Mahsud and others, attended the event.

They said the elections were held in a transparent manner under the supervision of the army.

The participants of the meeting said the losing candidates were making baseless allegations for face-saving. They said the people had voted the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to power so they should respect public mandate.

They said the political parties which lost the election should not make allegations of rigging against state institutions as it would tarnish the image of the country in the comity of nations.

The participants said that staging protest against the alleged rigging amounted to disrespecting the Parliament and the public mandate.

They said all the political parties should unite and set aside their petty differences and join hands for the development of the country.