Not free, not fair: Candidates for NA-12 Swabi allege AJIP ‘bought’ votes

PESHAWAR:

Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) fixed results for NA-12 Swabi-I and the three provincial assembly seats, accused candidates from the constituency on Monday.

The AJIP is led by Muhammad Ali Tarakai, who is said to have “bought” votes.

Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) NA-12 candidate Ashfaqullah Khan led the press conference; leaders for parties which fielded candidates for PK-31, 32 and 33 were also present.

The candidates asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to create a fact-finding commission for this purpose.  Muhammad Ali Tarakai, allegedly, purchased a large number of votes. His carrying out developmental schemes in the constituency just before elections, which, candidates were convinced was another form of rigging, claimed Khan.

Tarakai had not disclosed his assets prior to the polls as directed by the ECP, he added.

The leaders also blamed the ECP and polling staff at the stations for getting bribes from the AJIP.

“The party used Lady Health Workers to persuade and purchase votes from women,” said Khan. “Eighty per cent of the postal ballots sent by teachers deployed at polling stations were in favour of the AJIP.”

The Tarakai family has spent Rs7 million per day to purchase votes, bribe officials and carry out developmental projects in the constituency, maintained the JUI-F candidate.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.