Pakistan: Imran Khan's PTI decides to sit in opposition, alleges election rigging

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party led by incarcerated Imran Khan, has declared its intention to sit in the opposition in Parliament. The decision comes in the wake of allegations of election rigging in the February 8 elections. As political parties strive to form a federal government, PTI plans to launch a countrywide protest against the alleged irregularities.

While PTI-backed independent candidates performed well in the elections, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) claimed to have enough support to form the government, with some independents joining their party post-polls.

On Friday, PTI leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif announced that the party would sit in the opposition, both at the Centre and in the key province of Punjab, following the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan. This decision followed the nomination of Umar Ayub Khan for the prime ministerial candidacy and Aslam Iqbal for the chief minister position in Punjab.

Despite having evidence that their candidates won and the results were not altered, PTI has chosen to be in the opposition. Saif explained, "We decided to sit in opposition despite the reality that if we received seats according to our votes and the results were not changed, then maybe today we might have been in the Centre with 180 seats. We have evidence that our candidates won."

The party has issued a white paper outlining alleged rigging and plans to initiate nationwide demonstrations starting Saturday. PTI's core committee, following a meeting with Imran Khan at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, emphasized their commitment to moving the country forward for development, without seeking political revenge.

PTI's Information Secretary Raoof Hasan labeled the elections as the "biggest voter fraud" in Pakistan's history against the party and its candidates. According to Hasan, out of the 177 National Assembly seats supposed to be theirs, only 92 were allocated to PTI, with 85 seats allegedly taken away fraudulently.