ECP snubs charge of voter list alteration

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday described the claims of changes in the voter lists of 20 Punjab Assembly constituencies – where by-election are to be held on July 17 – as nothing but mere “propaganda” to deceive the people.

A spokesperson for the electoral watchdog in a statement added that the by-polls were being held in accordance with the previous lists.

The ECP issued the statement after PTI leaders and former federal ministers Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, in several news conferences, announced that they would challenge the pre-poll rigging in the by-elections through the induction of unknown voters into the lists.

The spokesperson said the voter lists were frozen after the announcement of the election schedule for preparing polling schemes.

“No changes could be made to the lists after the announcement of the schedule until the polls are concluded.”

The ECP maintained that it was committed to holding transparent and peaceful by-elections with the cooperation of the institutions.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad in connection with the by-elections, PTI Secretary General Umar warned that the country would move towards a “difficult situation” if the commission played the role of a “silent spectator” if the law was violated during the by-polls.

The PTI has accused the provincial government of striving to rig the upcoming by-elections.

It has warned bureaucrats to refrain from conniving with the rulers attempting to manipulate the by-polls.

During his news conference, the PTI leader asked party activists to fully prepare for the upcoming elections.

“Whatever they do, the PTI will win with a big majority on July 17. Once Punjab goes out of their hands, what will the imported prime minister do in Islamabad? We are heading towards new elections,” he added.

He also criticised the ECP and "advised" it to allot itself an election symbol as well since it was "behaving like a political party".

Umar claimed that the most dangerous matter was the “illegal registering of votes”.

“We have filed a petition. Individual petitions have already been filed but ECP has not taken any action.”

The PTI leader noted that the law “clearly says votes cannot be changed once election date is announced”, but maintained that new votes had been registered in electoral rolls.

“They are mostly those whose temporary or permanent addresses do not fall in that constituency. It is a test for the ECP and courts."

In response to the PTI leader, PML-N leader and Punjab home minister Attaullah Tarar said Umar had started hurling allegations after seeing a definite defeat of the PTI in the by-elections.

“It does not suit a party that came into power by manipulating the RTS [Results Transmission System],” he added.

The PML-N leader claimed that Umar had expressed his helplessness during his news conference.

He claimed that PTI groups were breaking away and joining the PML-N in the by-elections.

“The graph of the PTI is coming down day by day and the campaign of the PML-N candidates is gaining steam with each passing day.”