The civil society on Friday called upon state authorities and political parties to halt harassment, intimidation, persecution, and prosecution of the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) and its officials for making significant contributions to the transparency of the 2013 general elections.
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, a FAFEN official, Malik Sarwar Bari, flanked by civil society activist Marvi Sarmad, informed reporters that the network had not filed any written apology to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and urged the ECP verify the votes cast through thumb impressions, as well as demanded it upload forms 14, 15 and 16 on the its website to maintain its creditability.
To a question, Bari said the ECP had not directly threatened FAFEN, adding that it only rejected FAFEN’s report not its demands.
The FAFEN official demanded a forensic investigation of the rigging and asked that votes cast in controversial constituencies be verified though the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) by seeking counter files.
“Not only FAFEN, but all major political parties have expressed their concerns on the recent polls,” Bari said.
Quoting a few examples, the FAFEN official said PML-N’s Nisar Ali Khan lost a seat after recount, “so what does it mean?… either the first counting was correct or the second one? And what was punishment for the person responsible for the wrong facts?”
With regards to Ishaq Khakwani’s application for recounting, he said the returning officer was not permitting it.
Bari also said the FAFEN head, Mudasir Rizvi, was directly threatened by PML-N MNA Ayaz Sadiq, because Rizvi had demanded the Cyber Crimes Department probe the case and bring those responsible to the court.
He said Rizvi had been reportedly implicated in 16 cases under Section 505 (b) of the PPC with as many FIRs registered against him. He said Rizvi was also being threatened by some MNAs.
Bari also urged the ECP to release official documents from all 69,801 polling stations and all constituencies’ returning officers nationwide.
Bari also said violating all the rules and the ECP’s code of conduct, a few returning officers as well as presiding officers shifted polling booths and merged some at the eleventh hour.
Marvi Sarmad, a civil society activist, said the civil society had a right to monitor the democratic system, adding that “we should understand what caused a number of mistakes in connection with the elections”.
Free and fair elections ever held in Pakistan?
I have been the eyewitness of almost every election held since 1965. I never found any election that was not rigged or the politicians accepted it wholeheartedly. Every election has added some miseries to the nation and harmed its integrity. Then why to create the same fuss again and again? It has never helped Pakistan, every time a movement has been initiated it had a negative impact on the nation as a whole. Let me give you a brief on the most talked elections of Pakistan, ever.
Miss Fatima Jinnah lost the election of 1965 and Ayub Khan was elected as the President of Pakistan. The Electoral College consisted of only 80,000 Basic Democrats, who were easily manipulated. These elections and after effects of it started hatred among Pathans and Urdu-speaking Karachi'ets. Had a long lasting effect, even today we can feel it.
Elections '71 ended up with the division of Pakistan.
Next elections were held on March 7, 1977 in which Pakistan Peoples Party managed to win 155 out of 200 seats in the National Assembly. Pakistan National Alliance was only able to win 36 National Assembly seats. The Alliance could only win 8 out of 116 seats of the National Assembly from Punjab.
Pakistan National Alliance leaders protested that there had been a systematic rigging of election results to defeat them. This drama ended up with a martial law.
After that few a more elections were held and remained suspicions and compromised in the eyes of many.
So why to create another disaster now? Illiteracy is the major cause of this rigging and its reaction. As long as we don't beat it, we won't beat rigging!
Sir, we need justice in our country not rigging.
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