Complaints, records, evidence on rigging in general election filed in JC
Political parties have filed complaints, records and evidence of alleged rigging in General Elections 2013 before the judicial commission (JC) formed to probe the matter.
Social organizations, including Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), have also approached JC in this regard.
The three-member JC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal, will take up the complaints for hearing today (Thursday).
In their submissions to the commission, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) filed evidence of rigging in NA 51, 62, 98, 124, 138, 139, 181, 175, 202 and PS-85, Jamaat-e- Islami (JI) targeted seven Sindh constituencies while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) filed complaints of rigging in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) constituencies.
Senator Zahid Khan from Awami National Party (ANP), Sardar Latif Khosa and Qamar Zaman Kaira from PPP, Nemat Ullah Khan from JI and JUI-F’s secretary filed complaints and relevant record with regard to polls rigging.
The complaining parties, including ANP, JUI-F and PPP, contend that General Elections 2013 were held in a “non-transparent and unfair manner”. They had registered several complaints with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but in vain, they add.
In its reply, PPP says that 267 political parties took part in the elections but only 18 political parties could get representation in the Parliament. These parties include PML-N, PPP, PTI, MQM, JUI-F, PML-Q, MPAP, ANP, NPP, APML and Peoples Muslim League Pakistan among others.
Election related malpractices came to light in the constituencies of NA-56 Gujar Khan, NA-139 Kasur, NA-64, NA-98 and others, PPP contends.
According to PPP, malpractices were found over obligations regarding Form No 14 at 177 polling stations, Form No 13 at 178 polling stations while polls were “fully rigged” at five polling stations. Bags were found empty in 12 polling stations and they were stuffed with trash. Electoral lists were not provided at 103 polling stations.
Filing his reply and statement with JC, Peoples Muslim League Pakistan’s Khawaja Azhar Rashid said that “norms of transparency and fairness were not adhered to” in general elections and rigging was conducted in an “organised manner”.
“PPP was behind the rigging in Sindh and this party is fully responsible on this count. JC should declare the polls a sham and unfair,” he said.
