Dr Ali Ayaz Sadiq, son of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq Tuesday criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for issuing “verdicts” regarding the probe of NA-122 vote record, adding that Khan should wait till the local commission submits its report to the election tribunal.
A local commission has probed the vote record of NA-122 from where Ayaz Sadiq of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won the 2013 General Elections defeating PTI chief Khan. The commission has yet to submit its report of the vote probe which was conducted after allegations of rigging leveled by the PTI candidate.
“If Khan has any objections then he should move an application before the tribunal instead of leveling allegations before media,” said Ali while addressing a press conference.
He said that the election tribunal would decide the matter after submission of a commission report and hearing the arguments of both the parties.
“Khan is constantly issuing his verdict despite the fact that the commission had not yet submitted its report,” said Ali.
“By holding a media trial, does the PTI chief want to influence the court in which he had earlier showed confidence?” questioned Ali.
He said the commission rejected the votes which were not signed and stamped by the presiding officers, adding that 800 votes of Sadiq and 935 votes of Khan were rejected which was the reason that Sadiq’s lead had increased by 135 votes.
Rejecting Khan’s claim of the missing Form 14, he said that the commission received all the relevant record from the returning officers and 100 percent Forms 14 were received by the polling stations.
He rejected Khan’s figure of missing signatures on counterfoils. Moreover, the tribunal had already said in a letter addressed to the commission that it was not a matter necessary to be checked during inspection of record, said Ali.
Referring to ballot papers shown by Khan to media, Ali said that all the record was available in the Nadir Hall, DCO Office, and it was a property of the election commission.
“How did Imran Khan get those ballot papers? Did he get them printed?” asked Ali.
He said that Khan’s representative was present during the inspection of poll record of NA-122 but did not raise any objection about the size and color of ballot papers. “Then why is Khan raising this issue today?” he questioned.
We could also produce such files and evidences “but we do not want to compromise judiciary in any way”. He asked Khan to wait for the commission’s report and verdict of the election tribunal instead of repeating the old allegations.
Sadiq’s counsel Barrister Asjad Saeed said that the figure given by Khan of missing signatures on counterfoils was “not true”, adding that signatures were missing only on few counterfoils.
