LAHORE: Advocate Babar Awan on Monday appeared before a returning officer (RO) and defended Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan during the scrutiny of Khan’s nomination papers for NA-131, and asserted that the party’s agenda of change could not be stopped by dragging it into non-issues.

Mr Awan told the RO that Imran Khan was busy finalising party tickets to 800 candidates from across the country and could not appear either on Monday or Tuesday (today).

During the scrutiny, Mr Awan defended the PTI chief over objections regarding Tyrian White’s guardianship, saying Mr Khan had asserted that this was not a petition against him, but an allegation.

He further said the PTI would move court and ensure that those who fraudulently submitted objections were punished. There was a piece of paper prepared allegedly in response to a guardianship request in Lahore in November 2004 wherein it was stated that “I, Imran, have no objection” without mentioning a full name, father’s name, address, city and even country. Mr Awan said that he had proved that the paper was fake.

Without naming Ms White, he said the 26-year-old woman was an independent citizen of an independent country and had filed no claim.

Addressing the caretaker chief minister, Mr Awan said the “wicket-keepers and umpires” posted as district police chiefs, deputy commissioners and other officials in districts should be removed. New recruitments in the federal government should also be withdrawn. He demanded the caretaker chief minister suspend local governments and appoint administrators.

Holding three officers of the National Database and Registration Authority responsible for an alleged security breach, Mr Awan said the PTI demanded the officials be removed so that elections could be held in a free and fair manner.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018