RAWALPINDI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) refuted the accusations made against the chief election commissioner and the ECP by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta in a statement that was released on Saturday.
Shortly after the commissioner’s press conference, the ECP released a statement in which it stated, “No official from the ECP issued any instructions to the commissioner Rawalpindi to manipulate election results.”
The statement read, “It is crucial to remember that the commissioner of any division is not the DRO, RO, or presiding officer and does not directly oversee the conduct of the election.”
Still, the election monitor will launch an investigation into the issue right away.
The Rawalpindi Commissioner resigned from his position and admitted to “involvement in rigging election results in the city” before the ECP made its statement. The Commissioner demanded to be “hanged for doing injustice” to the Rawalpindi Division.
In a statement made during a news conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chattha stated that “we gave the losing candidates leads of 50,000 votes” and that “13 candidates from Pindi were forcefully declared winners.”
He declared, “I have wronged the Rawalpindi Division.” “After the Fajr prayer today, I attempted suicide. Then it occurred to me, why should I die a death that is prohibited? “Why not present everything to the public?” he said.
“I accept the responsibility of election rigging in Rawalpindi Division and surrender myself to the police,” he stated.
The commissioner claimed to have worked on numerous municipal development initiatives but regretted “stabbing the country in the back” and ruining his legacy.
I am unable to sleep at night because of this. No, I want to pass away quietly, and I ought to be held accountable for my actions. Along with me, the chief election commissioner and others ought to face consequences, he declared.
“I apologise to the returning officer (RO) under me,” Chattha stated. He sobbed and said he didn’t want to undertake the crime when I urged him to do it.
Poll fraud is being committed by both the chief justice and the top election commissioner. By using phoney stamps to give losing candidates a 70,000 lead, we forced the independent candidates to lose,” the commissioner asserted.
“I accept all the responsibility,” he declared. I ought to be hanged. I refuse to take part in the crime that has the potential to ruin Pakistan.
The commissioner did, however, clarify that the army carried out elections in the “correct manner.”
He declared that holding new elections was unnecessary. Chattha continued, “You will have the results clear if you only collect all Form 45.”
The commissioner praised his efforts for Rawalpindi’s advancement in his closing remarks. “I built Ring Road, Dadhucha Dam, Holy Family Hospital, and Rawalpindi Gymkhana while working sixteen hours a day for Rawalpindi.” He claimed he could not stand by the “fraud” he had carried out.
Unexpected setback for PTI in the Rawalpindi division
Unexpectedly, the PTI lost all of its seats in this historically important region in the general elections held on February 8. Independent candidates supported by the PTI made accusations of widespread manipulation of the results, namely pertaining to the ECP’s issuing of Form-47.
Many candidates contended that Form-45, which is given by presiding officers to their polling agents following the polling station counting, is where the results showing their victories are gathered.
Interestingly, on the evening of February 8, most of the PTI candidates running in these districts celebrated the unofficial results with great enthusiasm.
But when Returning Officers (ROs) released Form-47, indicating the defeat of independent candidates supported by the PTI and the announcement of PML-N candidates as the winners, the situation changed.
PTI-backed candidates have filed complaints, claiming they were not allowed admission into ROs’ offices when the votes were being counted.
PTI-backed candidates received a significant number of votes, despite the official results indicating their defeat. This raised concerns among influential circles and opposing parties alike.
It has been reported that these candidates plan to demonstrate outside the offices of the ROs and may contest the results in the near future.
