ISLAMABAD
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided on Wednesday to stop the recount process in PB-21 Quetta due to the current state of law and order.
The verdict was made on Wednesday during the hearing of many petitions concerning alleged electoral fraud in different National and provincial assembly constituencies.The commission sent notifications to Returning Officers (ROs) and demanded thorough reports on the purported irregularities during the hearing.
Declaring that it was committed to addressing the issues raised, the ECP said, “We are sitting here to listen to the abuses that happened.”Following the security breach that occurred during the PB-21 Quetta recount, the electoral watchdog established a four-person fact-finding team to look into the event in which thugs broke into the RO’s office and altered documents.
The hearing was postponed to February 22 due to the returning officer of NA-71 Sialkot’s failure to appear before the ECP despite being summoned in a separate case.
In response to a request to delay the NA-58 Chakwal and PP-87 Khushab results, the commission directed officials to provide a report prior to making an announcement.
A video describing the police block and the returning officer’s entry was shown at the hearing for case NA-117.
The panel postponed making a verdict on the issue.The ECP in the PB-17 acquittal case reaffirmed its commitment by saying, “We are sitting here to listen to the abuses that happen,” demonstrating its resolve to address problems and granting the petitioner in NA-13 an extension until February 22.
A request for the release of a final notification was denied by the commission in a notice sent to the RO. Furthermore, notices were sent by the ECP to the following constituencies: PP-41, 45, 46, 49, 97, 50, 51, 122105, 164, 190, 121, 279, and NA-251, NA-154 Lodhran, NA-263.
Additionally, notices were sent to PK-30 and four Balochistani constituencies (PB-28, 38, 48, and 50) asking them to submit reports by February 21 and 22 to the commission addressing the deficiencies that were found.
