PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said that the government tried every tactic to defeat the PTI in the Punjab by-elections.

“Election commission collaborated with Hamza and tried their best to defeat us,” the PTI chief blamed during a televised address to the public.

He blamed Hamza Shahbaz of using state machinery to rig the by-election in Punjab, saying that the Supreme Court had refrained the PML-N leader from using state machinery and administration for personal gains.

“Hamza was illegally imposed on us,” Imran Khan said, adding that the public stepped out to cast votes for the PTI in the by-election.

“Throughout my life, I have witnessed such enthusiasm only once before and that was during the 1965 war;” he said and added that he saw the same enthusiasm during the by-polls in the 20 constituencies of Punjab.

The former premier congratulated the nation for supporting the PTI to challenge the corrupt rulers, saying that Pakistanis were becoming a nation and coming out of their homes.

He also thanked the public for showing their support and taking to the streets in celebration last night after the Supreme Court declared Pervez Elahi as the new chief minister of Punjab after removing PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz from office.

The former premier said that the coalition government considered the public “sheep and goats” and tried imposing “corrupt people” on them.

He said that the economic indicators were good during the PTI government and the country witnessed 6 per cent economic growth.

“Pakistan was on an upward trajectory and that’s when a conspiracy was hatched against us,” he recalled.

He said that economic stability could not be sustained in a situation of political instability and said that early and transparent elections could end the economic and political crises.

Imran Khan demanded that a new election commission should be formed to conduct transparent elections, adding that Electronic Voting Machines could have stopped rigging.

He said that PTI had started a successful poverty alleviation program, Ehsaas and health card, ading that the Ehsaas program and health card scheme would be restored in Punjab.

“We are also going to start a ration program in Punjab. Through the ration program, the government will provide essential commodities.”