Imran’s party demands judicial probe into Rawalpindi commissioner’s poll rigging claims

Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party has demanded election results as per Form 45 following earth-shattering disclosure about rigging in general election by a senior official.

Addressing a joint news conference in Islamabad on Sunday along with party chief organiser and nominee for prime minister’s post Omar Ayub, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said the allegations levelled by Rawalpindi commissioner, Liaquat Ali Chattha, were very serious.

“This is the first time that a commissioner delivered a news conference according to his conscience,” he added. Gohar said that a judicial commission should be formed on the allegations levelled by Chattha and an inquiry should be conducted and the results should be shared with the public.

Gohar said that voters cast their ballots in favour of Imran Khan even though the party faced many hurdles in the run-up to the general election.

“We have no dispute with anyone, we want to move forward. We will form a government in accordance with the constitution and the law,” Gohar said and added the presiding officers counted the votes and prepared Form 45. He said instead of Form 47, the ECP should decide the results of constituencies on the basis of Form 45.

“No obstacle should be created for PTI candidates and results should be announced as soon as possible,” he said. Gohar said Commissioner Rawalpindi holds a key post as all the administration in the division reports to him.

The PTI leader asserted that the party had won 180 seats in the National Assembly. Giving a breakdown, he said that the party had won 42 seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 115 in Punjab, 16 in Sindh and four in Balochistan.

“In Balochistan we got one seat so far, three are due. In Sindh, we did not get even a single one. In Punjab, we are due around 50,” he said.

On his part, Omar Ayub termed the rigging against his party “the mother of all rigging,” adding that the PTI rejected this in the strongest possible terms. Ayub alleged that the 70,000 vote lead that Chattha spoke about belonged to the PTI, and demanded that PTI candidates be notified as per the original results.

“We demand all election results as per the Form 45,” he said and added, “I also want to point out that 18-19 of our seats in Karachi were stolen by MQM-P. Rigging took place the same way Chattha admitted yesterday.”

“We demand that this process be reversed,” Ayub said and added after the allegations levelled by the Rawalpindi commissioner, there should be a judicial inquiry.

He said, “There should be a judicial inquiry with independent judges. And those named by the commissioner should not be involved in this inquiry.”

Referring to the chief justice, Omar said that since the top judge had been named by the commissioner, the party would request that he should not become a part of the bench. “And an independent panel should do it and there should be a clear and fair transparency,” he said.

Ayub lamented the crackdown on the party over the last few months. “Even now, police are picking up our workers and leaders and pressuring them. This was not the job of any caretaker setup. They exceeded their mandate.” He further said that the PTI would form the government at the Centre and in the provinces.

He said despite arrests, oppressions and without bat symbol, PTI was given heavy mandate by the public across Pakistan. Ayub claimed PTI was sidelined with a conspiracy.

He said the economy would not be able to bear if the public mandate was stolen. Ayub said their independent candidates were in contact with them. They were loyal to the party and would remain so, he said.

He said after the formation of government, PTI would work for the immediate release of PTI chief Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ch Pervaiz Elahi and thousands of political workers imprisoned in various jails.

NNI News Service