Rigging allegations: Govt accused of facilitating PML-N candidates

ISLAMABAD:

Even though the local government elections in the capital provided hope to many for better municipal services and evolution of grassroots democracy, polling day left a number of candidates belonging to various opposition parties disillusioned and disappointed with the way the electoral process was managed.

Accusations against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) began with the appointment of Tariq Fazal Chaudhary as minister of the Capital Administration and Development Division, and moving the Capital Development Authority under its administrative control days before the polling date. A number of candidates also criticised the government for not allowing a public holiday on the day of polling.

Candidates belonging to various opposition parties alleged that the PML-N contesters were being facilitated by the government.

Awami Workers Party (AWP) UC-28 vice-chairperson candidate Amna Mawaz Khan, while talking to The Express Tribune on Monday, said powerful contestants were literally throwing money at people and bribing mosque and church officials. When asked, the AWP candidate refused to name those candidates.

Khan, who is also a prominent classical dancer and activist, said a number of candidates were involved in violating the election code of conduct by putting oversized banners on display.

She said their posters and banners were also ripped off. Amna accused that potential voters were being bought off by the powerful candidates.

Former National Assembly member from Jamaat-i-Islami Bilquees Saif, who was helping out at the party’s registration desk in G-10/1, said there had been a lot of illegal canvassing and campaigning inside and outside the polling stations especially by PML-N.

“If the law does not allow campaigning on the day of elections, especially at the polling stations, then no one should be allowed to do so. The PML-N has been in power for the past two years and everyone has seen their work. They had enough time to convince people. Why must they be allowed to campaign right outside the polling station on the day of elections,” she said.

A Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) official, on condition of anonymity, said it had been noticed in several sectors such as G-10, G-9 and F-8 where women belonging to the PML –N came out wearing expensive jewelry and clothes to come across as influential to the polling staff.

“They are trying to put undue pressure on voters to vote for the PML-N, and we have received similar complaints from various other areas,” the official said.

“Currently, we are visiting such polling stations and trying to get the police involved to ensure that none of the voters are influenced to vote for a certain party or candidate,” the official said.

Residents of F-8 said women candidates of the PML-N had been calling them on polling day and asking them who they had voted for, and had been asking them to vote for them for days. They said this was a violation of the election code of conduct and authorities should take notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2015.