Pakistan Candidate Relinquishes His Won Seat, Alleges 'Election Rigged To Make Him Victor'

In an era where we frequently hear news about political rivals going to extreme lengths to win elections, it is rare to see a candidate willingly give up their seat after an election.

A politician who won his seat during Pakistan's general elections has relinquished his position, alleging that the election was rigged to secure his win.

Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi president, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, announced on Monday that he was relinquishing his provincial assembly seat PS-129 (Karachi) as the independent candidate supported by PTI had garnered more votes and deserved to win the seat.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, he said, "If some wants to make us winners illegally then we will not accept it."

According to reports from Pakistani media, Rahman has alleged that seats were being doled out in Karachi. He claimed that not only he but other candidates were also declared as winners despite garnering lesser votes than their opponents.

Rehman claimed to have received over 26,000 votes, while independent candidate Saif Bari secured 31,000 votes. However, only 11,000 votes were later reported for PTI-supported candidate Saif Bari. The Election Commission of Pakistan dismissed the accusations made by Rehman. It remains uncertain who will take the PS-129 seat following Rehman's decision to vacate it.

The president of Jamaat-e-Islami stated that his adversaries were determined to ruin Karachi. He expressed his willingness to gracefully accept defeat and called on the ECP to announce the actual victors as elected representatives. He emphasized that the nation has become aware of the truth and is committed to safeguarding the future of generations to come. He advocated for peaceful opposition and asserted that their struggle was for the rights of the people, vowing to engage in a lawful and constitutional battle.