PTI alleges voters list anomalies

Yasmin Rashid conveys concerns to poll supervisory body

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has pointed out a sudden and unrealistic increase in the number of registered voters in Punjab Assembly constituencies where by-elections are being held this month, alleging an attempt of pre-poll rigging.

PTI central Punjab chairperson Dr Yasmin Rashid, on Saturday, called on Provincial Election Commissioner Saeed Gull Mehmand at his office and reportedly presented him ‘proof of irregularities in voter lists’.

She highlighted that on average an increase of 25 per cent had been witnessed in the number of voters during past two years. However, in a union council of PP-167, the number had increased by 63%. Similarly, in another union council, suddenly 10,000 new voters have been registered. In another instance, 38% increase was recorded, which indicates irregularities in voters lists and corroborates reports of pre-poll rigging by the ruling party, she underscored.

She also complained that police and state machinery were being used to create hurdles in the electioneering process.

She told the election commissioner that in the Shabir Gujjar case the DIG operations of police had claimed that total 21 persons were arrested out of whom 10 belonged to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). However, all 21 people belonged to the PTI, she claimed.

The former provincial minister alleged that the police had arrested PTI’s union council coordinator Sharafat even without registering an FIR. In the case of Shabir Gujjar’s nephew, a court had expressed displeasure over a three-line police response. In all these irregularities and illegal use of police force against PTI leaders and workers, how free and fair elections were possible in Punjab, she questioned and demanded that the authorities concerned give answers regarding PTI’s concerns.

Commenting on the allegations, PML-N MPA Mian Marghoob said PTI leaders should refrain from making baseless claims.

He asked how voter lists could be tampered with after the issuance of the election schedule when, according to the law, voter lists are frozen, meaning that neither a person can be added nor removed from them. He said the PTI leaders knew well about this law.

The MPA alleged that the PTI, upon sensing a humiliating defeat in the by-elections, was coming up with absurd accusations. He said the PML-N was going to sweep the elections in Lahore. Out of the 20 assembly seats that were up for grabs, the PML-N was expecting to bag victory in at least 16, he asserted.

Meanwhile, PTI central Punjab general secretary Hammad Azhar and information secretary Andleeb Abbas criticised the fresh increase in petroleum products prices and demanded that the government immediately withdraw the increase.

The PTI leaders said what they termed ‘illegal’ rulers were burdening the common people and had put all pressure on the poor. They are increasing problems of common citizens instead of resolving their issues. The increase in price of petroleum products will further increase inflation and make lives difficult for the already suffering masses, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2022.