Imran Khan’s Party Alarms Alleged Abductions of Candidates by Intelligence Agencies Ahead of Pakistan Elections

In the lead-up to the February 8 general elections in Pakistan, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party has raised concerns about the alleged abduction and harassment of its candidates by intelligence agencies. The latest incident which include Khayal Ahmad Kastro who is  a PTI-backed candidate from Faisalabad, who was reportedly abducted by individuals. which is believed to be connected with intelligence agencies.

The PTI spokesperson revealed that the abduction occurred in broad daylight outside a district court in Faisalabad and was captured on camera. Despite obtaining bail from the court, Kastro was taken by unknown persons, a move strongly condemned by PTI secretary general Omar Ayub.

Imran Khan’s party has faced many different challenges in the upcoming elections. The PTI lost its election symbol, the ‘bat,’ and the nomination papers of Khan and other key leaders were rejected by the election commission. Furthermore, several PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, are currently in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, facing multiple legal cases.

Following Kastro’s alleged abduction, the PTI claimed that the troubles for party-backed candidates persist, indicating an uneven playing field in the electoral process. PTI leaders argue that there is a lack of justice and rule of law in Pakistan, citing the incident of a candidate being abducted outside a court.

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The PTI-backed candidates are reportedly facing restrictions on their election campaigns, with police and agencies preventing political activities in constituencies. The party says the government is using unfair tactics to stop PTI from joining the upcoming elections.

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The PTI’s iconic symbol, the cricket bat, was stripped by the Supreme Court due to the party’s failure to conduct intra-party elections as required by law. Imran Khan accused Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa of being influenced by the military establishment to favor Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) founder Nawaz Sharif, further adding to the political tensions in the country.