ECP reserves verdict in Waheeda Shah case

Waheeda Shah did not appear before the commission today, verdict to be announced tomorrow afternoon.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the case against Waheeda Shah Bukhari. The verdict will be announced on Wednesday.

Waheeda Shah did not appear before the commission today. Her lawyer informed them that she had apologised to those she had assaulted and in front of the Supreme Court, and now she was seeking a pardon from the commission.

She submitted an unconditional apology to the ECP, officials told The Express Tribune. Returning Officer for PS-53 Ali Asghar Sial submitted his report on the slapping incident, and was directed by the commission chief to take immediate cognizance of the matter under Section 86-A of the Representation of People Act, 1976 and hear the necessary parties and pass the orders.

An inquiry had been conducted at the office of the Chief Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) in Karachi within a week. “The slapping incident shocked the whole nation,” observed members of the ECP. “We condemn the unruly behaviour of a person aspiring to represent the people in Parliament.”

The ECP also stated that FIR No 33/2012 under section 86 (3) (b) of the Representation of People Act, 1976 had been registered against Waheeda Shah at the Tando Muhammad Khan police station.

The commission will take all possible steps to provide protection to the polling staff and take exemplary action under the law against anyone who indulges in any illegal activities to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere at polling stations, added the ECP.

Besides facing an inquiry for assaulting polling staff, Waheeda Shah had also been summoned by the commission in an alleged case of rigging during the by-polls in PS-53 Tando Muhammad Khan.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza took up multiple complaints filed with the commission regarding the alleged rigging at around 11 polling stations in the said constituency, ECP officials told The Express Tribune.

One of the complainants was Shah’s opponent Mushtaq Ali Talpur who alleged that she had been involved in the casting of forged votes. Talpur also presented evidence against Waheeda Shah to the commission today.

The complainants informed the ECP about rigging at Polling Station 16 at Govt Girls High School Tando Muhammad Khan, where polling agents were kicked out from the booth and fake votes were cast on polling day.

They also pointed out that rigging had taken place at Polling Station 56, Polling Station 76 and Polling Station 33.

“She could be disqualified under the rules of discipline if found guilty,” the officials said. The outcome will depend on the ECP’s decision as well as findings of the inquiry report.

Supporters of the winning candidate forced polling staff to quit stations, they alleged.

Thousand of fake votes had been cast at various polling stations in the said constituency, the complaints claimed.

Waheeda Shah was declared the winner in the initial vote-count of the provincial seat by-poll (PS 53), but following the infamous slapping incident caught on video, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) withheld official results.

She was caught on camera slapping two women at polling station No. 16 at the Government Girls High School.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has also taken suo motu notice of the slapping incident. In a recent hearing, the court rejected Waheeda Shah’s apology and termed the incident more serious than last year’s killing of a youth, Sarfaraz Shah, by paramilitary troops.