File photo of Imran Khan addressing a conference. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Dismissing the objections raised by Pakistan-Tehreek-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has termed his criticism of the commission as baseless and unwarranted, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The PTI chief had subjected the commission to his harsh criticism for its failure to give him access to election record. He had requested for access to the voting material for NA-122 constituency.
The ECP said it has granted the request on June 18.
“We have offered him access to the record of NA-122 constituency of the National Assembly,” an ECP official said in response to the harsh words used by the PTI chairman yesterday.
The NA-122 constituency had been won by PML-N's Sardar Ayaz Sadiq with 93,389 votes, with the PTI's Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi coming in second with 84,517 votes.
Rigging
Khan had labeled the May 11 elections as the "most rigged" elections in the history of Pakistan. He also questioned the Supreme Court’s and ECP’s inability to verify all votes by fingerprint readers in the four provinces. He said that political parties could count the votes themselves if they were presented with counterfoils.
He had also alleged that the Returning Officers (RO) played a big role in election rigging.
____________________________________________________________
[poll id="1185"]
Correction: An earlier version of this story erroneously mentioned that the ECP had termed Imran's rigging claims as baseless. The error is regretted.
COMMENTS (28)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
He must accept that his party bady defeated in three provinces
@Ali: Show me a major party that doesnt have armed wing in karachi.One should be realistic.Is Karachi really a place where you can be a political force without self protection.
Tribute should make the correction in the post.
It is "four constituencies" NOT "four provinces"
@fyza: Was this rigging was witnessed only in those areas where PTI lost the elections or KPK was also a place where rigging took place--------! For PTI jialas " MEETHA MEETHA HAP HAP---KARWA KARWA THOO THOO" If rigging took place in the elections than it was also in KPK. SO first PTI should admit this realty and resign from KPK and after it the rest will follow the suit.
I wish Imran Khan knew the 'force of silence'.Everyone knows what happened in the '13 elections.All he has to do now is wait till next elections and let the 'elected' government clear the mess,created in the past.Does he not think the 'election result' is a blessing for him in disguise
I am a eyewitness of what MQM did in Karachi and they said we got Mandate in Karachi . Yes you this got mandate with Weapons .
IK....you should concentrate on law and order in KPP
People here always forget that those who are supporting PTI are from middle class and Army families. Not all middle class people are supporting PTI. Many are also supporting PML-N. But middle class is in minority here and they don't give votes. Although this time many appeared but still they are less in number. Here 80% people are from lower class AND they are with PML-N. Entire business community is also with Nawaz Sharief. So whatever PTI does, PML-N will win again and again. Imran needs to do something for these poor people first. Cancer hospital is okay but not everyone is having cancer in Pakistan (Shukar hai Allah ka). My personal recommendation for Imran is to leave politics and continue with his welfare work. He spent billions on PTI campaign during elections 2013. He could have spend it on welfare like opening schools in villages, providing trakters to farmers, so on. There is no place for an idealistic person in politics. The ultimate aim is to help people, then why not help them directly. Why this is no important for him to come in power? Edhi is doing a good job and he has more respect than Imran. Plus Edhi is contributing 1000 times more than Imran too. I am afraid Imran will be USED by foreign countries or Pak Army and will loose his respect. Shariefs did some mistakes and so Imran did too in the past. Internationally speaking Imran's reputation is worst than Sharief. As Imran is knows as playboy and Sharief is known as a person who conducted nuclear tests even though America warned him. Locally Imran Khan is known for his stubbornness. Nawaz reputations is also not good but his achievements will always save him. Plus this time he started really good by taking side of China and India over US and Britian for the first time. His mission is straight and in favour of Pakistan. There is no doubt about it. So rigging means nothing as no one can stop rigging. Even rigging happens in America too. Plus 1 or 2 seats difference doesn't make much of a difference on overall results.
Let's suppose that four seats that Imran Khan claims were rigged and they all go to him. Then there are certain seats about which there are allegation from those who lost them that PTI rigged them and they go to those losers. Would all this drama will change election results in any shape or form?
Imran Khan needs to grow up and accept that there was no tsunami in last election. Shipped has sailed now and he can either sit and cry for next five years or join the chorus and prove his mental. Unless he can prove himself he is not going to see daylight in the next election either.
If they are baseless why they are avoiding his genuine request of only four constituencies thumb impression check, just do it and prove him wrong but no response to his request shows the complicity, incompetence and intentional delay.His genuine request of applying electronic voting,which is working in all our neighboring countries, to avoid this everyday issue of blame game or thappa game is not much or impossible to apply,if they are serious.
I believe basic failure lies with PTI who failed to take appropriate measures for organizing its own ranks to support ECP and check any possible rigging which should have been expected by the prior to jumping into election arena. Now rigging has 100s of different forms and I am sure PTI still does not know all of them. If they failed to post their polling agents on every polling station/polling booth why should blame anybody else? Of course ECP is also responsible to take all possible steps but be realistic for God's sake. What is the staff given to ECP; it is you me and he; ECP cannot import angels if Pakistani citizens do no act responsibly. And if anybody failed the most in this regard it was candidates themselves and their parties. They should be bold enough and should display moral courage to accept that responsibility. If they do not next time also they or somebody else will be raising same cries. How did they allow presiding officers to leave the polling stations without handing over the copy of result of vote count to them? I am sure failure of KPK government will also be thrown on shoulders of Federal Government.
Let the blame game be the habit of the past. If not then you are the most unsuitable for bringing any change.
Imran Khan Molvi in pakistan and champagne drinking aristocrat in London.The Tsunami turned out to be water under the bridge.He should focus on delivering in KPK.Other wise next election PTI will have to boycott elections.Sour loosers as they are...
IK is not interested to serve people but expects sate to serve him.Its almost two months and not even one street of Peshawar is cleaned to give an impression that he is serious in serving his nation.Bad man quarrels with his tools he is doing the same.Instead of proving as man of crisis he has proved him as man of excuses
If the wining/loosing margin was narrow than IK had a point to call it rigged elections and demand re-election. Dear PTI FB users please bear in mind that out of 176.7 million population of Pakistan only 9 million are FB users. IK please stop the rhetoric and accept the outcome with dignity otherwise the slogan of CHANGE will be taken as rhetoric. IK extensive pressure on EC made us to lose the services of a dedicated & a person of integrity.
whats the big deal here that imran is asking? if ECP and SC is so transparent, let the public know the reality. verify the vote count with thumb impressions...but you will not.
I'm a PTI supporter and I myself witnessed rigging in my polling station. So I voted yes, the elections were rigged.
Once again ET first destroys PTI's credibility by false misrepresentation of facts and then apologizes
What evidence ECP now need to accept their failure in managing election when they even failed to send ballot boxes and polling staff in the stations on time? @Realist I am not a PTI supporter. And it's not just PTI that said the elections to be rigged. Even the rigging master MQM said so.
oh yeah I saw it myself and u call it baseless
I have seen rigging in front of my eyes in Karachi. Rangers were asked to come in but they said "it's not in our mandate". In fair elections MQM would have lost in Karachi. That much I know!
Imran Khan will try to legitimatize the current Political Process to make it as Controversial as possible to pave way for Military rule in Our country. After watching overthrowing of Morsi by Military in Egypt the dreams of Imran Khan again set alive to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan and by hook or by crook he will try to reach there as he is a Power hungry Politician.
Why shouldn't we audit thumb impressions in KPK also?Why in just 4 constituencies where PTI lost?
Unfortunately, Imran Khan is still doing the politics of blaming others. PTI again did not accept election results. Even though during last elections campaigned, Imran Khan claimed that PTI supports like a big Tsunami which will wipe out everything. PTI has won elections in KP and able to created their government. Now this is a time for PTI to deliver work they promised to deliver before the elections. Remember If you don’t do your part, please don’t blame others this time.
Young people might think these were the most rigged elections, but from what I have seen over the past couple of decades, these were not near as bad as other elections (where everyone could predict the results even before the elections took place). Sure, the elections this time around were not perfect either but they were largely alright.
So many PTI supporters voting YES lol
ECP himself acknowledged the short comings they experienced on election day. World witnessed the true face of the perpetrators in the form of what had happened in Karachi and Lahore.
If the allegations are so baseless, then why is ECP so hesitant about thumb impression audit? Will they be exposed?
Baseless or not baseless, what is wrong in doing re-counting with biometrics in four constituencies as per his demand?