- PPP, JUI-F, PML-N candidates allege PTI candidates ‘forcibly elected themselves’ in connivance with police, polling staff
Candidates of different political parties, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and an independent candidate from Union Council No 9 Sikdandar Town have accused the polling staff and police of “massive rigging” in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s favour during local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtukhwa (KP).
Addressing a joint press conference, Ghulam Mustafa, PPP candidate of tri-party alliance for district council, JUI-F’s candidate Shahid Mehmood Zuberi and independent candidate Masood Afridi alleged that the PTI candidates had “forcibly elected themselves”. They said that “highhandedness” exhibited by the PTI candidates and their supporters, had no precedent in the electoral history.
The disgruntled poll candidates alleged that their polling agents were not allowed to enter female polling stations established in Commerce College and Qadirabad, while PTI deployed nine polling agents. “Even the polling agent of a retired candidate was allowed,” said a candidate.
They alleged that the sister of a PTI candidate along with polling agents were stamping ballot papers and they were not allowing the workers of other political parties and candidates to cast vote. “In case someone managed to enter the station, they snatched its ballot paper and polled it in PTI’s favour candidate,” they claimed.
Similarly, they alleged that none of their polling agent was allowed to witness the counting and were forcibly expelled. The displeased candidates said that all such “irregularities” were committed in broad day light in connivance with the police and polling staff.
Citing PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s persistent demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation over alleged rigging in last general elections, the candidates demanded Khan seek resignation from KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and KP minister Ziaullah Afridi over “irregularities” in KP LB polls.
They rejected the poll results of Sikandar Town and demanded re-polling under the Army’s supervision.
Similarly, Adnan Yousafzai, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for tehsil council from UC Zeda, district Swabi, also alleged organised rigging by PTI in their union council. He said that presiding officer and other polling staff was allowing only PTI supporters to cast votes.
The PML-N candidate said that they had collected the proofs of rigging, which include damaged and burnt ballot papers. Furthermore, he said that more than 250 votes casted in his favour were rejected without any justification. He demanded the declaration of election in their union council as null and void and re-polling under the supervision of Pakistan Army.