Independent Senator Faisal Vawda has said that rigging is the recurrent feature of the country’s electoral politics, reminding the PTI that the 2018 elections, which propelled Imran Khan into power, weren’t clean either.

“Fraud is routine. The rigging you are crying about today happened in 2018 as well. We have not seen anything new in it,” Vawda stated while speaking to a private news channel.

Commenting on the PTI’s demand for the formation of a judicial commission to probe alleged irregularities in the general elections, Vawda said it was like beating a dead horse as no commission had succeeded in clearing the air in the past.

Read Vawda predicts more arrests for PTI leaders

Instead, he said that since the government was now a reality, the PTI had no choice but to bite the bullet and engage in negotiations.

In response to a question, Faisal Vawda suggested delving into the backstory. He recalled that the PTI had a sour relationship with former army chief General Qamar Bajwa. However, the same party later extended the army chief’s tenure.

“Those advocating for dialogue will find political parties willing to engage,” he stated. “However, the PTI adamantly refuses to negotiate with those it claims ascended to power through Form-47,” he added.

However, Vawda emphasized that these were the individuals the PTI had to engage with now that they were in power. He pointed out that the PTI government had isolated itself from the US and strained relations with other nations.

“If you connect all these dots, it was all leading to isolation,” he said. Vawda criticised the PTI for its confrontational approach, which he argued harmed institutions and political culture, ultimately leading to the country’s downfall.