Lahore: Imran Khan on Wednesday warned the government of severe consequences if it tried to stop a peaceful Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest on May 11 against alleged vote rigging.

Addressing a press conference here, the PTI chief said there was no other way left but to take onto streets as the party had knocked on every door over the allegations of rigging in the last general elections a year, but to no avail.

Khan said he had gone to courts, tribunals and Parliament but no institution was ready to listen to him. He added that Speaker National Assembly had taken a stay order against his plea.

He said the protest was PTI’s legal right.

Khan suggested that Article 6 of the constitution must be applied on those who have won the polls with rigging, adding that rulers who came into power by “dishonest means” cannot solve the problems of the masses.

He said PTI would present a charter of demands during the May 11 protest at D-chowk in the capital.

He warned that the PML-N government may crumble if it tried to stop or sabotage the rally, adding it would have to face consequences if workers were barred from participating.

“There is no use of taking part in such elections where polls are always rigged. People of Pakistan seek justice,” said Khan, whose PTI rules Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with its coalition partner, Jamaat-e-Islami.

The PTI chief, however, refrained this time from accusing the judiciary of involvement in election irregularities, saying that “our party respects judiciary”.

But he again questioned the role of returning officers and a media house in helping PML-N win in 2013 elections.

Khan called for action against election riggers. “Those stole the public mandate should be punished under Article 6 of the constitution.”

When asked how Geo was involved in rigging, Khan alleged Geo anchor Najam Sethi had rigged in 35 constituencies by “35 punctures”, and was later rewarded with PCB chairmanship and Geo with cricket contracts worth millions of dollars.

He said he is not against all Geo staff as many if its journalists had given great sacrifices for media freedom.

Khan further claimed Geo owner Mir Shakil was trying to blackmail him with a character assassination campaign, adding that he was not be afraid of it.

Khan said Nawaz government had paid a Rs500 billion [Dh18.7 billion] circular debt, but despite spending such an amount from public money, people were suffering 20-hour power cuts, and circular debt had swelled to Rs200 billion again.