Image Source : AP Supporters of imprisoned Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s occasion
A senior Pakistani bureaucrat on Saturday (February 17) resigned from his workplace after “accepting responsibility” for the manipulation of February 8 common elections and alleged that the chief election commissioner and the chief justice have been additionally concerned within the ballot rigging. He took the “responsibility for all this wrongdoing”. Former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha’s remarks got here amidst jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf occasion started nationwide protests towards alleged rigging and stealing of its mandate within the February 8 elections.
What did Chattha allege?
Speaking to the reporters on the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chattha stated that the candidates who have been dropping the elections “were made to win”.
“I am taking the responsibility for all this wrongdoing and telling you that the chief election commissioner and the chief justice are also completely involved in this,” he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. Chattha stated that “stabbing the country in its back does not let” him sleep.
“I should be punished for the injustice I have done and others who were involved in this injustice should also be punished,” he stated whereas demanding punishment for them.
He stated that he was underneath “pressure” to the extent that he contemplated suicide, however then thought it applicable to place the matter forth to earlier than the general public.
“It is my request to the entire bureaucracy to not do anything wrong for all these politicians,” he stated.
ECP rejects Chattha’s allegations
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has strongly rejected the allegations of Chattha relating to the chief election commissioner.
In a press assertion, it stated, “The Election Commission of Pakistan strongly rejects the allegations levelled by the Commissioner Rawalpindi on the chief election commissioner or the election fee and no official of the election fee by no means issued any directions relating to altering the election outcomes to the Commissioner Rawalpindi.”
“Neither is the commissioner of any division ever appointed as a DRO, RO or presiding officer, nor do they ever play a direct role in the conduct of elections.” However, it stated that the matter could be investigated.
Punjab Minister rejects claims
Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir additionally rejected the claims of manipulation of ballot outcomes made by Chattha.
Speaking to Geo News, he stated that Liaquat Ali Chattha had “not shown any proof” of the alleged tampering of ballot outcomes.
Noting that the commissioner was retiring on March 13, Mir stated, “I imagine he’s trying to kick start his political career after he retires.” Besides Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), and others have additionally complained of rigging through the elections.
Pakistan common elections
Independent candidates, most of whom have been backed by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf occasion, received 93 out of the 265 National Assembly seats that went to polls on February 8.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s two important rivals seem on target to kind a coalition authorities after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) fashioned a post-poll alliance on Tuesday.
The PML-N received 75 seats whereas the PPP got here third with 54 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has additionally agreed to assist them with their 17 seats. To kind a authorities, a celebration should win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats within the 266-member National Assembly.
(With PTI inputs)
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Source: www.indiatvnews.com
