- Title: PAKISTAN: Imrann Khan warns anti-rigging protests could turn ugly
- Date: 25th May 2013
- Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (MAY 24 , 2013) (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS OF CRICKET STAR IMRAN KHAN'S PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI) PARTY ARRIVING FOR RALLY SUPPORTERS CHANTING: 'WE WILL PROTEST!" PROTESTER HOLDING PTI FLAG PTI SUPPORTERS ARRIVING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS DANCING YOUNG WOMAN CARRYING PLACARD READING: "WAKE UP PAKISTAN" PROTESTERS WAVING PTI FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) PTI SUPPORTER, FATIMA HASAN, SAYING: "From what I saw, I got the impression that 80 percent of the voters were with PTI, and they did not want those politicians to come back who had ruled here before, not once but several times." PLACARD READING: "CJ (CHIEF JUSTICE), ECP (ELECTION COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN), ARMY, MEDIA, WHERE ARE YOU? PAKISTAN DEMANDS JUSTICE."/ YOUNG WOMAN HOLDING PLACARD VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WAVING PARTY FLAGS AS PARTY SONGS ARE PLAYED VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LISTENING TO KHAN'S ADDRESS ON SCREEN VIA VIDEO LINK (SOUNDBITE) Urdu) CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN IMRAN KHAN ON SCREEN, SAYING: "Today we are protesting peacefully. But in the future, if our voice demanding justice is not heard, then these protests will not remain peaceful. They can become ugly." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 9th June 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan
- City:
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAC98Y24GJ7F9P3VEP3XZ5UEKDK
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- Story Text: Hundreds of cricket star Imran Khan's supporters rally in Islamabad against alleged vote-rigging in the country's recent general election.
Hundreds of supporters of cricket star Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gathered on a busy avenue in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday (May 24) to protest against alleged vote-rigging in the country's recent election.
Pakistan held general elections on May 11, 2013, marking the first time in the nation's history that a civilian government has carried out the full length of its term and handed power to another civilian government.
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a triumphant election comeback and looks set to form a stable government.
Political parties that did not do as well in the poll are complaining of vote-rigging.
Khan's party, which had hoped to break decades of dominance by Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and the PPP led by the Bhutto family, has been asking for a re-election in constituencies where the party lost.
One protester said she did not believe the results.
"From what I saw, I got the impression that 80 percent of the voters were with PTI, and they did not want those politicians to come back who had ruled here before, not once but several times," said Fatima Hasan.
Khan, who is recuperating from a spinal injury received when he fell dramatically from a forklift hoisting him to a podium during a hectic election campaign, addressed the rally via video link from his home in Lahore.
He asked the Election Commission to immediately take steps to undo the wrongs committed during the voting, and warned of possible violence.
"Today we are protesting peacefully. But in the future, if our voice demanding justice is not heard, then these protests will not remain peaceful. They can become ugly," he said.
Several political parties and candidates are filing complaints against some alleged irregularities, but the PTI has vowed to carry out systematic rallies across the country until the Election Commission of Pakistan pays heed to their demand of a vote recount in 25 constituencies. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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