Pakistan: Grand Democratic Alliance announces to boycott presidential election

Sindh [Pakistan], March 9 (ANI): The leader of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi, has announced that his party will abstain from the March 9 presidential elections that are slated to take place in Pakistan later today, according to ARY News.

In a press conference on Friday, Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi called for GDA members to join the protest against alleged election rigging and declared support for Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“Our joint struggle aims to give a mandate to the real representatives of the people,” the GDA leader said.

The mandate belongs to someone and is being given to someone else, he added, saying that the results of the general elections in 2024 are still being tallied.

The GDA, according to Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi, rejected the elections and will carry out its “peaceful” protest until it reaches a logical conclusion, reported ARY News.

“Our protest will continue until the illegitimate government goes back home. We have to protect the votes of the people,” he added.

It is pertinent to note that the GDA was able to obtain two general seats in the Sindh Assembly, and that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has informed its single lawmaker regarding a reserved seat for women. In contrast, the party led by Pir Pagara declared that its members of the Sindh Assembly will not swear an oath in protest, as per ARY News.

The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) earlier on February 21 declared that they would begin a protest against the suspected rigging of the general election in 2024.

After meeting at the home of GDA’s Pir Sadaruddin Shah, PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh and JI Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeem announced their decision to form an alliance.

Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari as a joint candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) chief Mahmood Achakzai as a candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council have submitted their nomination papers for presidential elections set to be held in Pakistan on Friday (March 9), Pakistan-based The News International reported.

The two leaders submitted nomination papers to the Islamabad High Court. Zardari submitted two nomination papers – one in Islamabad and the second in Karachi.