National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday came down hard on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying it was ‘incompetent’ to hold elections.
Sadiq’s criticism came two days after an election tribunal put him on notice on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Abdul Aleem Khan alleging irregularities and pre-poll rigging in the NA-122 by-election. Sadiq, while speaking to a group of reporters, said that the ECP failed in its duty and was instead holding him ‘accountable’ for their own sins. “Is it the ECP’s incompetence or mal-intention on their part to send the case to the election tribunal without seeking my point of view,” he questioned.
He said it was the ECP, which should stand trial in the case and respond to PTI’s allegations of pre-poll rigging. “If you need a lawyer, I will provide you but it is your duty and responsibility to transfer votes, not mine,” he went on to say.
The PTI candidates claims that at least 30,000 votes had been cancelled and shifted from the NA-122 constituency before the by-poll while the ECP had the record of shifting of only 7,000 votes.
Regardless, who ever is incompetent or corrupt, the bottom line is what matters, the election is rigged, and a rigged election does not give a mandate.
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