Pakistan's Election Commission seeks complete record of Imran Khan's speech calling it "planted agent"

Pakistan's election commission on Thursday directed the country's media regulatory authority to submit a copy of the speech of former prime minister Imran Khan in Peshawar during which he attacked the chief election commissioner and called him a ''planted agent''.

In a letter to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Election Commission of Pakistan said it wished to peruse the complete record of speeches delivered on April 26 by Khan, Sindh Assembly lawmakers Khurram Sher Zaman and Haleem Adil Sheikh, and Senator Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry.

“You are, therefore, requested to provide a recording of the aforementioned addresses immediately for placing before the commission,” Pakistan's Dawn newspaper cited the commission as saying.

Addressing a workers’ convention in Peshawar, capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), continuing his harangues against the CEC, described Sikandar Sultan Raja a “planted agent” of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“Raja has lost all his credibility and he should immediately resign,” said Khan, reiterating demands he had previously made during a rally in Lahore.

Khan in his Peshawar speech also urged supporters to launch a social media campaign and collect signatures petitioning for the removal of the CEC.

“He has no reason to remain as the CEC anymore. An umpire is always independent. When the country’s biggest party doesn’t have confidence in him, it’s time for him to resign,” the PTI chairman said, warning of nationwide protests if Raja did not step down as CEC.

The PTI has stepped up criticism of the ECP, with an emphasis on the conduct of the CEC, following Khan’s ouster from power after a historic no-confidence vote in the country's National Assembly.

The party’s top leadership has repeatedly accused Raja of being “biased” and deciding “all cases” against it.

The latest round of the criticism has coincided with the ECP proceeding towards a conclusion in the foreign funding case pending against the PTI since 2014.

The former prime minister also said that PTI would be just one party to emerge with legal funding when the result of the foreign funding case will be announced.

PTI supporters also staged small demonstrations outside ECP offices across Pakistan and shouted slogans against the commission and CEC Raja following his April 26 speech.

Responding to the demonstrations, the ECP said it would not succumb to any pressure and would continue to discharge its legal and constitutional obligations without any fear or favour.

The ECP in a statement said the commission was a constitutional institution and took decisions as per the Constitution and rules.