‘ET has exonerated PML-N from rigging allegations’

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Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Irfan Siddiqui on Wednesday said the Election Tribunal (ET) in its detailed judgement had categorically rejected the PTI’s rigging allegation in the NA-125 constituency.

“The ET in its detailed judgement on page 27 has categorically stated that it found no evidence of rigging by the winning candidate or his party workers. There is nothing which can be accepted as evidence,” he said while talking to PTV after the ET issued the detailed decision.

Irfan termed it a ‘certificate’ for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and an ‘honour’ for its candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique, saying that the ET had exonerated them from all charges.

Election Tribunals have so far rejected over 50 petitions filed by PTI candidates asserting rigging in the 2013 elections, he said.

However, the Tribunal identified some irregularities on part of returning officers (ROs) and presiding officers (ROs) citing their incompetency and mismanagement, not under any deal or conspiracy. It was also observed that there was no bad intention of ROs and POs but ‘incapacity and mismanagement’, he added.

The ET also gave reference of international observers who witnessed the entire polling process, he said. He regretted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders, even its Chairman Imran Khan, wrongly interpreted the short order and tried to mislead the public.

The PTI, he said, had started celebrating the decision as its victory, but in fact, the ET had turned down all its pleas, including declaring Hamid Khan victorious, organised or systematic rigging, and blame of using polling staff under a conspiracy in favour of the winning candidate.

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