Salman Akram Raja Arrested in Allegations of Election Rigging in Lahore Protests

In a recent turn of events in Lahore, Salman Akram Raja, a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and a senior lawyer, has been arrested during a protest against alleged election rigging in the 2024 elections.

The arrest took place outside the PTI office on Jail Road in Lahore. This comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) withdrew the victory notification for Awn Chaudhry, a candidate from the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, against Salman Akram Raja. The results showed Chaudhry securing 172,576 votes while Raja received 159,024 votes. However, the victory notification was challenged by Salman Akram Raja.

The PTI has been vocal about what they claim is “brazen rigging” in the February 8 general elections. They have called for nationwide demonstrations to protest against the alleged election malpractices.

Speaking after a meeting with Jamat-e-Islami (JI) leadership in Islamabad, PTI leader Asad Qaiser invited political parties who believe there was rigging to join the protest. The focus of the meeting was on the alleged theft of the nation’s mandate during the 2024 elections, and there was an agreement to unite against the perceived rigging.

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The political situation in Pakistan remains uncertain, as none of the major parties, including PML-N, PPP, or PTI-backed independent candidates, secured a simple majority in the National Assembly. Efforts are being made by political stakeholders to form alliances and secure the required seats in the 336-member lower house of parliament.


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In the latest election results, independent candidates, many supported by PTI, lead with 101 seats, followed by PML-N with 75 seats and PPP with 54 seats. Other parties like MQM-P, JUI-F, PML-Q, IPP, and BNP have also secured seats in the assembly. The outcome of these developments will significantly impact Pakistan’s political landscape in the coming days.