K-P orders probe into Haripur 'rigging'

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered an inquiry into alleged rigging in the NA-18 Haripur by-election, accusing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of manipulating results.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information, Shafi Jan, levelled these allegations while speaking to the media at the K-P Assembly on Monday.

Shafi Jan claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had secured victory through public support, but their mandate was "stolen from inside the Returning Officer's (RO) office." He asserted that all Form-45 documents were in PTI's possession and reflected a lead of 32,000 to 35,000 votes in Haripur.

"The results were altered in Form-47 inside the RO office. At the last moment, the RO was replaced, PTI workers were forced out of the office, and the office was practically taken over," he alleged.

He further announced that Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had directed a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged irregularities. "From Class-IV employees to the Deputy Commissioner, every individual who had a role will be investigated. The district administration fulfilled its responsibility from polling stations to the RO office, but the manipulation took place inside the ECP's domain," he said.

Responding to allegations made by PML-N leader Ikhtiyar Wali, Shafi Jan said the chief minister would issue a defamation notice.