The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday condemned the top poll body’s rejection of nomination papers of its founder Imran Khan and several other party stalwarts on what it called “flimsy grounds.”

“Abducting proposers and seconders is a new normal in this part of the world, the current state of lawlessness is preposterous,” a PTI spokesperson said after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected nomination papers of Khan and others ahead of the February 8 general elections.

“Returning officers are accomplices and the reason why PTI requested ROs from the judiciary, not bureaucracy. Some group members may not be aware, but bureaucrats, including deputy commissioners, signing illegal restraining orders for PTI leadership have been appointed as ROs by the interim setup, adding more hostility to the already perpetuated situation,” he further said.

PTI’s current chairman Gohar Khan posted on X: "Today, the first step towards general elections (scrutiny of nomination forms for general seats) is ending. But up and down the country, the state machinery is in full swing against PTI’s candidates, whose proposers and seconders or they are being openly harassed, assaulted and pushed back from ROs’ offices.”

Party's secretary general Omar Ayub said if this pre-poll rigging continues unabated, the transparency of the election process is and will be called into question. “Political instability will grow exponentially after a rigged election, and national cohesion will deteriorate," he added.

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