JUI-F alleges rigging in PB-36 re-polling

QUETTA:

Sardarzada Mir Saeed Ahmed Langove, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) candidate for PB-36 Kalat, has accused election authorities and his political opponents of large-scale rigging during the recent re-polling at seven disputed polling stations, describing it as a brazen theft of the voters' mandate carried out under the cover of darkness.

Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Sunday, flanked by other party leaders, Langove alleged that the re-polling, ordered by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on March 10, was marred by deliberate irregularities designed to overturn his earlier lead.

He recounted that in the February 8, 2024 general elections, polling proceeded transparently at 95 per cent of the 92 stations in the constituency. However, at seven stations, including those in Johan and Gazk, opposing candidate's workers allegedly seized ballot papers and boxes at gunpoint, removing them for 24 hours to stamp votes in their favor.

Despite protests from Langove and his workers, the District Returning Officer (DRO) initially awarded him results from 85 stations, showing a lead of 2,294 votes. The following day, however, consolidated results on Forms 47 and 49 declared his rival victorious.

Following complaints, the ECP ordered re-polling at the seven disputed stations. Langove claimed that prior to the exercise, he demanded,but was denied, the list of presiding officers and staff, asserting that many were relatives or political workers of his opponent.