*PML-N govt releases fact sheet ‘Truth behind PTI’s allegations’
*Dar says PTI filed 58 petitions, including 30 against National Assembly constituencies of which 15 were from Punjab; PML-N and PTI candidates were in direct contest in just two of these constituencies
*Says govt even offered Shah Mahmood Qureshi to take over chairmanship of parliamentary committee on electoral reforms
The ruling party Wednesday released a comprehensive fact sheet titled “Truth behind PTI’s allegations” and challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to debate his grievances in Parliament.
“Elaborate and effective measures were introduced in Elections 2013 to ensure transparency and fairness,” said Finance Minister Dar while addressing a joint press conference with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid and State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman.
“Thirty seven million bogus or duplicate votes were deleted, photographic voters’ list published, a neutral caretaker government constituted and an Election Commission was set up via a transparent procedure,” he said.
Dar said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had no nominee in the caretaker set up while the PTI chief had concurred with the appointment of the chief election commissioner, caretaker prime minister and the ECP composition.
“Initially PML-N won 148 seats in the National Assembly against the required 136 for a majority, while PTI won 34 including seats reserved for minorities and women,” Dar claimed, questioning how a party with 34 seats could form a government. He added that security bonds of PTI candidates were confiscated in 55 constituencies whereas PTI did not field any candidate in 10 constituencies.
“If PTI had complaints against elections, it should have filed petitions with Election Tribunals,” said Dar, adding that PTI filed 58 petitions, including 30 against National Assembly constituencies.
“Of these 30 constituencies, only 15 were from Punjab and PML-N and PTI candidates were in direct contest in just two of these constituencies,” said Dar.
“The election procedure needs to be reformed but this does not mean the results of the general elections should not be accepted,” he said, while expressing the government’s willingness to introduce electoral reforms to ensure greater transparency of future elections.
He said that the results of 246 constituencies compiled by FAFEN matched with those compiled by the ECP.
PROTEST AND SIT-INS:
Referring to PTI’s demands, Dar said, “We even offered PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi to take over the chairmanship of the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.”
Stating that protest sit-ins have caused great financial losses to the country, Dar said that due to the postponement of Chinese president’s visit, agreements worth $32 billion have also been postponed.
“The state can uproot protests by using force but the government and PM have decided to save each and every child and woman being used as a human shield,” said Dar.
He said that the PML-N has accepted five-and-a-half out of six demands of PTI but there are differences over the Terms of Reference of the proposed judicial commission to investigate the allegations of poll rigging.
RAISE CONERNS IN PARLIAMENT:
Addressing journalists, Information Minister Rashid said that the PTI chief should raise his concerns regarding ECP’s Post-Election Review report in Parliament, while clarifying that the report released by the ECP on September 22 does not claim that PTI was winning the 2013 General Elections.
“Parliament is the only platform to raise your issues in a democratic system,” said Rashid, pointing out that the ECP report does not support any of the allegations hurled by Khan regarding the general elections.
“There is no mention of printing of ballot papers from Raja Bazar, the so-called 35 punctures or the alleged impact of a speech on the election results. Instead, neutral election observers worldwide have appreciated fairness of the elections.”
Rashid said that Khan should have gone to the election tribunals if he believed that there was large-scale organised rigging.
“Khan did not go to the election tribunals neither did he contest cases where petitions were filed,” said Rashid.