Defeat in PS-59: Taj Haider accuses Rangers of rigging Badin by-polls

Rangers deny 'baseless' allegations

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has accused the Rangers of 'hijacking' Tuesday's by-polls in Badin by ensuring the victory of PML-N’s candidate from PS-59.

Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, PPP Senator Taj Haider said "The Rangers' job is to maintain law and order, not to interfere in electoral affairs." Haider, who was flanked by other PPP leaders including Kamal Khan Chang of Badin, said, "They [Rangers] did not even allow our candidate to enter polling stations."

Tuesday's by-election was held after the Supreme Court upheld the election tribunal's decision of re-polling at 37 polling stations after rigging by PPP MPA Mohammad Nawaz Chandio was proved.

According to Haider, the party had filed a review petition [pending in court], but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the polling date. PML-N's Ismail Rahu won the seat after securing more votes in the overall count of the total 120 polling stations. Haider, also PPP's Sindh secretary general, alleged the voter list for the 2013 general elections was used in the by-polls, despite their repeated complaints to ECP to update it. "After voting began, PPP’s polling agents were asked to leave," he asserted.

The senator said Rangers deployed for security duties were involved in counting votes. "Inside the polling stations, Rangers personnel were making the decision of which vote is right and wrong. We are not merely speculating, but can present evidence," he said.

After the polls, Rangers told the returning officers that the PPP would rig the results; therefore they should be allowed to monitor the results, alleged Haider. "It is not the Rangers' mandate to become part of the electoral process. We apprised ECP officials against these  actions, but no one took any notice," he lamented.

A Rangers spokesperson termed the allegations baseless, saying "Everyone demanded Rangers' deployment to make the elections transparent. Our job is to maintain law and order and provide security so no one can rig the polls."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2016.