Panjgur evidence: BNP-M submits proof of poll manipulation

Senior party figure files petition before ECP claiming results were announced despite postponement of polls.

ISLAMABAD:

A faction of the Balochistan National Party led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal (BNP-M) has submitted documentary evidence of manipulation against its candidates in the May 11 elections before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In a petition filed before the ECP, the party’s vice president Sajid Tareen alleged that results for one National Assembly and two Balochistan Assembly seats in Panjgur district were announced despite that fact that polling had been postponed by the district returning officer (DRO) on May 11.

He maintained that the ECP declared two National Party (NP) candidates and a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate as the winners for PB-42 (Panjgur-I), PB-43 (Panjgur-II) and NA-271 (Kharan-cum-Panjgur) respectively without conducting any polling at most polling stations in the aforementioned constituencies.

Submitting a copy of the DRO’s letter to the provincial election commissioner (PEC) regarding the postponement of polling in Panjgur district (a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune), Tareen said polling in NA-271, PB-42 and PB-43 was postponed following formal requests by almost all candidates in the constituencies. The candidates filed separate applications requesting the postponement of polling since election staff in the constituency had refused to perform their duty in light of threats to their lives.

In his letter, the DRO asked the PEC to fix another date for polling in NA-271, PB-42 and PB-43 “in the interest of the general public under section 27 of the Peoples Representative Act.

“Law and order is deteriorating in the entire Panjgur district… due to threats from militant organisations… [the general public] could not take part in the polling process,” the officer wrote in his letter dated May 11.

“It has also been reported by almost all the candidates… [and has been] verified by assistant returning officers (AROs) that out of a total 35 polling stations established in the PB-42 , only 14-15 polling stations were functional. The situation in PB-43 was similar as a majority of polling stations could not be opened.”

“Government employees appointed as election staff could also not attend their election duties due to life threats by the militants and miscreants. The officials boycotted the election process owing to security concerns ‘’ he further wrote in his letter.

But, despite receiving the DRO’s communication, the ECP declared PML-N’s Lt Gen (retd) Ghulam Qadir Baloch as the winner for NA-271 and NP candidates Rahmat Ali Baloch and Haji Muhammad Islam the winners for PB-42 and PB-43, respectively by the evening of May 11, Tareen concluded while presenting the officer’s letter before the election authorities.

Both Rahmat Ali and Muhammad Islam were among those who requested that polling be postponed on May 11. Other candidates in Panjgur district who made similar requests on Election Day were Assadullah Baloch, Ghulam Jan, Nazeer Ahmed, Kifayatullah and Muhammad Azam.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.