‘Polls were rigged because we say so’

• PTI, JI, PML-Q, MQM-H blame rivals for rigging in 2013 polls without furnishing proofs
• As PTI laments inaccessibility to relevant documents, PML-Q asks JC to probe allegations by itself

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) on Wednesday filed written replies to the questionnaire of General Election Inquiry Commission (GEIC) regarding claims of rigging in General Election 2013.

The three-member commission, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk, had issued a questionnaire to all political parties, seeking answers of three key questions for determining if the elections were systematically rigged.

According to reports, the PTI claimed that ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was the “mastermind” of rigging in general election. The party submitted that PML-N planned vote rigging in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan with the help of returning officers (ROs).

“The PTI respectfully submits that it is an opposition political party in the National Assembly and in the Punjab Provincial Assembly. It is certainly not the State. Hence, it does not and cannot have direct access to all the material and evidence relevant to the three questions set out in Section 3 of the Ordinance,” the party submitted, lamenting that it was not being given access to relevant documents.

Moreover, JI blamed its rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for rigging in Karachi and Hyderabad, stating that Election Commission failed in enforcing its code of conduct.

In its written reply, JI stated, “In Karachi Division and Hyderabad, the rigging plan/design was made by MQM in collaboration with the staff of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) while in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) the plan was made by then governor Engr Shaukatullah Khan. MQM’s plan was to win the all constituencies with maximum votes with forgery, fraud and rigging in Karachi and Hyderabad.”

Furthermore, JI alleged, “Activists of MQM remained in the polling stations by posing themselves as polling staff. There were no details of ballot paper books, serial numbers and secrecy of votes and most of the people were sent home by saying that their vote had been already casted.”

In its written reply, PML-Q stated that the 2013 elections were rigged but did not provide any proof before the commission, saying that the commission should probe the allegations.

Meanwhile, MQM-H levelled rigging allegations against MQM in Sindh, stating that rigging took place in 11 National Assembly and 16 Sindh Assembly constituencies.