No mercy for election fixers, says Prime Minister Ashraf

Hours after the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a short order in the Asghar Khan case that declared that the 1990 elections were rigged by the establishment, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf called on all accused in the case to “apologise to the nation” for “stealing the elections”, adding that these men would be prosecuted per law after transparent investigations.
Addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s House on Friday, Ashraf said the decision that took a decade in coming, vindicated the Pakistan People’s Party and showed how democracy was murdered.
“One person was not wronged, a couple hundred people were not wronged, not a few thousands were wronged, the entire nation was wronged,” Ashraf declared, demanding that those whose involvement had been exposed should apologise to the nation.
“Those who talk of democracy and good governance need to answer some questions now.”
He recalled the statement of then party chairman Benazir Bhutto that the “establishment had ‘stolen the election and they had run amok’ and had gotten out of control”.
PPP would have formed the government in 1990 if the elections were not rigged, the PM said.
Ashraf vowed that while the detailed order was yet to be released, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would investigate the accused in a fair and transparent manner per the short order and prosecute them per law and the constitution.
“The law will look upon all equally. As the chief executive, I guarantee that inquiries will be made in a fair and transparent manner, and that every penny shall be recovered,” he said, adding that public funds had been used to rig the elections. To a question, the prime minister said doling out money, per the short order, was an act of a few individuals and not an organisation. “An organisation was given that award [award of democracy], not an individual. If you even look at the court order, this is the act of a few individuals.”
He vowed to bring to light all those who were part of the conspiracy. “Investigations will bring to fore who all were involved in this conspiracy.” To another question, the PM categorically denied that any political cell was working in the Prime Minister’s House.
Ashraf said holding free, fair and transparent election was the biggest challenge the government faced and appointing a neutral and empowered chief election commissioner was the key to this. He went on to say that the PPP would never rig elections as itself was a victim of rigged elections.