The party of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has renewed its demand for the resignation of the Central Election Commission over alleged election fraud.

According to media reports, the party of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan renewed its demand on June 23 for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for failing to hold “free and fair” elections, and protested against “injustice” being perpetrated against the party.

“Leaders of 71-year-old Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, along with other parliament members, held a protest rally from Parliament to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) at Constitution Avenue in Islamabad.” The Express Tribune The newspaper reported.

The protesters, led by opposition leader Omar Ayub, demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Raja (CEC) and other members of the Election Commission over alleged vote rigging.

Pakistan’s controversial February 8 general election was tainted by allegations of massive fraud. At the rally, Ayub called for the immediate resignation of Central Election Commissioner Raja and other ECP members, saying the Election Commission’s sole mandate is to conduct a fair and transparent vote but the commission has failed in its constitutional duty. News International The newspaper reported.

“A large security presence was deployed outside the ECP building, preventing the protesters from approaching the Election Commission’s central office,” the report said. Slogans were also shouted demanding the release of party founder and cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.

Khan has been lodged in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since September last year. He was transferred to the jail from Attock District Jail where he was lodged after his arrest on August 5, 2023, following his conviction in the Tosha Khana case.

Addressing the rally, PTI chairman’s lawyer Gohar Khan said, “The court doors have been closed on opposition leaders, our women are in jail and history will remember them,” he said. He said it was unfortunate that all parliamentarians had taken to the streets to protest, demanding Khan’s release, according to the report.

“Today we raised our voice against this injustice. Our voices have not been heard in this parliament. Whatever we say in parliament, our voices have been silenced. We are calling for the release of the women. This is a clear violation of human rights,” he said.

The party’s central leader, Asad Kaiser, told protesters: “On May 9, we were attacked on the pretext that we were not negotiating with anyone. Our voice was not heard in parliament and this is gross abuse.”

Following a contentious general election, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz faction and the Pakistan People’s Party engaged in intense negotiations following a divided election result to form a coalition government. In the February 8 general election, independent candidates led by the PTI party won 93 of the 265 contested parliamentary seats.