ECP says typing mistake in number of votes polled in NA-68

Nawaz Sharif secured 779 out of the total 1,500 votes polled but these were written as 7,879

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday concluded its probe into allegations that polling for NA-68 (Sargodha) had been rigged. According to the probe, on a polling station number for the constituency, Nawaz Sharif secured 779 out of the total 1500 votes polled but these were written as 7879.

Sources said that the probe suggested a huge difference between the results given by the returning and presiding officers. The Election Commission of Pakistan has said that the differences in the numbers of votes was due to a typing mistake.

ECP Additional Secretary Syed Sher Afghan said the difference in figures was due to the typist’s mistake, adding that the ECP did not need to call a meeting in this case. No more than the total number of registered votes were polled, he said, adding that no further probe was needed to be held in the matter.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had alleged rigging in NA-68, a seat won by Prime Minister Sharif in the May 11 general elections and retained by his party in the by-elections held on Aug 22 last year.

Khan had alleged that over 100 per cent votes were polled at polling station number 246 in NA-68 constituency. He claimed that over 8,000 votes were polled while the number of registered voters was around 1,500.

Sharif won the 2013 polls from NA-68 with a huge margin. He secured 140,546 votes while his closest rival Noor Hayat Kalyar of PTI could bag only 45,463 votes followed by Syed Nusrat Ali Shah of PPP who secured 21,395 votes.