Sharif govt to stay put even if rigging is proved

• Rehman Malik says caretaker govt would be held responsible for violating Article 218 (3) if rigging allegations are authenticated
• Jirga receives PTI, PML-N dossiers for drafting proposal for high-powered judicial commission, will soon come up with ‘face-saving deal’ for both sides

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders on Sunday handed over their respective dossiers to the political jirga leaders Sirajul Haq and Rehman Malik, requesting them to incorporate their amendments into the draft proposal shared with them by jirga leaders to break the impasse on formation of judicial commission to conduct a probe into the allegations of “massive rigging” in the 2013 general elections.

Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar met political jirga leaders Haq and Malik at Punjab House Sunday and handed over his proposed amendments while PTI’s Pervez Khattak met Malik separately for the purpose.

It was agreed that the jirga leaders would work on a proposal incorporating the concerns of PTI and PML-N and soon a proposal would be tabled by the jirga next week to both sides as Imran Khan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had agreed to empower the jirga on proposal formation.

Praising the jirga’s role in resolving the stalemate in talks, Dar said that he had handed over a rejoinder from the government to the jirga leaders.

Haq stated that the jirga members wanted a solution to polls rigging allegations as early as possible and they were hopeful of converging both parties on their proposal. He advised the PTI leaders to return to the Parliament as talks were making progress.

On the occasion, Malik said that the entire nation awaits the end of deadlock. He expressed his optimism for a breakthrough in talks between PTI and federal government, saying that the matter would be resolved in a few days. He also urged the government to form the JC as early as possible.

Speaking about the conduct of elections in 2013, Malik said that the PML-N has nothing to do with any act of the caretaker government which organised the polls.

HIGH-POWERED COMMISSION TO PROBE RIGGING:

A source privy to the proposal submitted by the jirga told Pakistan Today that the government had been advised to promulgate an ordinance for formation of a high-powered judicial commission comprising top judges of the apex court to probe into the alleged rigging in 2013 general elections.

According to the source, the jirga will be incorporating concerns of both the sides and offer a “face-saving” to both PTI and the PML-N, and soon after the first phase of the Senate elections, the proposal would be submitted to both sides for approval.

“Even if rigging is proved, the PML-N government would remain in office and rather it would be mandated to punish those officials who are found involved in the rigging,” a source said.

“The jirga has proposed that the commission should also hold accountable those officials who are found involved in the rigging as they have failed to hold free, fair and transparent elections under Article 218(3) of the Constitution,” the source added.

Article 218 deals with the formation of a permanent Election Commission to hold election to both Houses of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), provincial assemblies and for election to such other public offices as may be specified by law.

When contacted, Malik confirmed that the jirga delegation had been involved in carving out a “face-saving” deal for PTI and PML-N.

“Yes, we have recommended the government to promulgate an ordinance for formation of a high-powered judicial commission to hold a free, fair and transparent bi-partisan probe into the allegations of rigging,” he said.

Asked how the impasse between the PTI and PML-N would be resolved over the terms of reference (ToRs) of the proposed commission, Malik said the jirga has proposed that the government should empower the commission to conduct a thorough probe into the rigging allegations and if any individual or group of officials is found involved in vote fraud, the PML-N government would take action under the law against them.

“When the 2013 elections were held, neither the PTI nor the PML-N were in the government. Rather, the caretaker government was in-charge of all the affairs. So in no way both parties could have influenced the ECP. Hence, even if rigging is proved, no action can be taken against PTI or PML-N. Action should be taken against the caretaker regime by the sitting government,” he added.

Responding to a question whether the government would be bound to implement the recommendations of the commission, Malik said that all the government institutions would be bound to follow the commission’s recommendations.

“The commission must examine if the Election Commission had violated Article 218(3) of the Constitution. If so, those officials found involved must be punished,” he added.

Malik, who is also a PPP leader, said that jirga leaders wanted that the country should get rid of the political deadlock and dialogue should be the option by leaders of PTI and the PML-N. Malik also lashed out at those criticising the jirga.

“Where are those critics who were saying that the jirga has been unsuccessful? He said that Senator Dar had expressed full faith in the jirga leaders and he had said that the government would comply with the jirga’s proposals.

“It is a good omen that both PTI and PML-N leaders are showing flexibility and both sides are ready to agree to the jirga’s recommendations. The nation would soon hear good news in this regard,” he said.