Pakistan's Maryam Nawaz says 'Imran afraid of votes'; slams PM over poll fraud allegations

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Imran Khan over Daska by-election rigging allegations and asked him that why is he scared of the "power of the vote"? Taking a jibe at the Pakistani Minister and his government, Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and warned that measures such as the alleged Daska by-election rigging and breakdown of the RTS system will not be tolerated again. 

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Maryam Nawaz slams Imran Khan

The PML-N leader said that it has been proven again that the Constitution was superior to "conspirational ordinances" and "references based on ill intentions". Amid the ongoing controversy over irregularities in the Daska by-poll, on Wednesday, Maryam Nawaz called Imran Khan "vote-thief" and also accused government agencies of rigging the elections. This comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week had said in a statement that it suspected that the results of 20 polling stations were falsified.

The recent by-election in the NA-75 constituency for the country's National Assembly was marred by violence at a polling station in the Daska constituency. meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Pakistan said that the upcoming Senate elections cannot be held via open balloting.

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The apex court also held that the secrecy of the ballot is not "absolute" and can be diluted by practical considerations, especially those that relate to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) exercising its mandate to conduct free and fair elections that are devoid of any corrupt practices, said the local media. 

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The Supreme court further said that it is up to the ECP to decide to which extend the voting should remain secret. "It is the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan in terms of Article 218(3) of the Constitution, to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law and that corrupt practices are guarded against," read the order by the Supreme Court. "The Election Commission of Pakistan is required by the Constitution to take all necessary steps in order to fulfill the above mandate/duty in terms of Article 222 of the Constitution," it added. 

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(With ANI inputs)