- JC summons five more PTI witnesses on May 11 for cross examination, seeks ECP’s reply on 160,000 documents and witnesses from political parties
- Laced with contradictions, Punjab poll official says 200 people called in for ballots, ECP says 34
A three-member judicial commission (JC), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal, probing alleged rigging in General Elections 2013, Friday summoned five more witnesses of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on May 11 for cross-questioning.
The witnesses include managing directors (MDs) of Pakistan Printing Security Corporation (PPSC), Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, Postal Corporation and Printing Corporation of Pakistan.
Moreover, JC has sought reply from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over 160,000 documents and list of witnesses from political parties till May 11.
As the hearing resumed Friday, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan said that he relies on polling bags which should be reopened. He was told that his plea would be heard after the evidences are recorded.
Continuing with the cross-questioning from the last hearing, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Abdul Hafeez Pirzada asked former Punjab election commissioner (EC) Mehboob Anwar if he had made contact with any one in connection with this case after leaving the JC a day before.
After Anwar replied in negative, Pirzada presented a newspaper report before the JC, claiming that he had held a meeting after leaving JC on Thursday. The report was then made a part of the record.
“We have filed a document which may be reviewed. EC had issued details in respect of all constituencies and this document pertains to it. This contains the details of extra ballot papers in respect of all constituencies of Punjab. These details were issued by EC,” Pirzada said.
Upon inquired by the JC and PTI’s counsel if the witness had seen the document, Anwar said he had nothing to do with the document, which carried no signature, and was related to the ECP. “I have not evolved this document nor have I seen this document before.”
As JC inquired about the document’s ownership, Pirzada said it was a special document of Election Commission, issued by the authority itself.
“Pirzada will give a list of documents. Suleman Akram Raja should talk to Election Commission secretary about it in the presence of KK Agha and give reply till tomorrow. Then commission will decide about it,” the JC observed.
During the hearing, Anwar said that he was in-charge of the elections in Punjab and other people worked under his supervision. He said then Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Rao Iftikhar assisted him and he remained in contact with him.
Anwar said that printing press had made a request for providing 100 to 200 people for the binding and numbering of ballot papers. These people were provided, 78 of which were from Lahore, he added.
Pointing out the contradictions in Anwar’s statements, Pirzada said that according to the ECP, it had demanded only 34 people.
Moreover, Pirzada asked the witness as to why people were called from Lahore if the ballot papers were at Islamabad. The witness said he did not know about the real addresses of the people.
Anwar said that returning officers were not in uniform. “In one case, returning officer had demanded three extra papers and another returning officer had 30 percent extra ballot papers. These extra ballot papers were equal to 30 percent of registered voters. The Election Commission had asked us to show generosity in providing extra ballot papers. It had given us a formula in this regard, ordering us to treat everyone equally. After May 7 I did not talk to Rao Iftikhar,” he said.
Anwar added that a complete ban was imposed on political activities for 48 hours before polling and till the compilation of unofficial results.
When Pirzada asked about the speech which Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif made at the night of the polls, declaring that they had won the elections, Anwar said he had not witnessed the speech on the TV.
