Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stated that the thumb impression verification of the votes cast in the May 11 general elections should not be turned into a "political football", Express News reported on Wednesday.
He was speaking during a National Assembly session in Islamabad.
“This issue has been made into an unnecessary problem by a political party,” the interior minister added, referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
“Let us stop making hollow speeches. Let us put our money where our mouth is,” the interior minister remarked.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan had filed a petition at the Supreme Court seeking ‘verification of thumb impressions’ in NA-110, NA-122, NA-125 and NA 154.
He had alleged massive fraud in the elections and called for the verification of voters’ thumb impressions with the help of the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA).
On December 14, Imran had said that PTI would take a decision of whether to demand early elections after verification of votes in the four constituencies.
Nisar further stated that the government is not opposing the verification of the thumb impressions, further adding that NADRA is a subordinate of the Interior Ministry.
He also said that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the election tribunals, however, are not controlled by the government.
Nisar added that “we are ready to work with the opposition regarding the vote verification and everyone should go to the courts together.”
“We are ready for a committee, headed by a judge, to be set up for verification of the votes,” he further said
The interior minister also stated that there is a difference between fake and unverifiable votes. “According to my record about 60 to 70% of the votes in each constituency might be unverifiable.”
He also revealed that the magnetic ink had cost a total cost 160 million according to his records but it was reported in newspapers that two billion was the cost.
The minister also questioned why magnetic was not available at the polling stations during local bodies elections if it was so important.
The Opposition boycotted the National Assembly session as a response to Nisar's speech. Opposition leader and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) spokesperson Khursheed Shah asked Nisar to take back what he had said.
Background
On December 16, Nisar had stated that government has given administrative control over the process of thumb impression verification to ECP. Nisar had also clarified that NADRA systems have not been transferred to ECP, rather, the commission has only been given administrative control for three months over the specific process in thumb impression verification.
He was responding to the point raised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi and supported by PPP's Naveed Qamar and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed.
Nisar had said that the move is intended to satisfy the opposition and it is subject to consensus of the ECP. The minister had said the process of thumb verification should not be confined to only four constituencies.
The interior minister had said that the Opposition should appreciate the intention of the government as it is transferring its powers just to satisfy them.
Nisar had added that government would welcome evolution of a transparent mechanism for holding of local bodies elections and Punjab government is ready to replicate the bio-metric voting system if it is developed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government.
The minister had also offered government’s support to the Opposition if it introduces a bill that ensures holding of fair and transparent elections and strengthening the ECP.
COMMENTS (16)
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O Ch. Nisar! Take your hands off the national institutions. Let them do their job. There is no need for any committee.
PM wont let anything happen in KPK, wont release funds, wont help stop terrorism. IK is bound to be called a failure in end. He is doing the right thing by keeping all issues alive.
We are with you.
@raheel
I have heard this argument so many times, its not about moving on. If its not investigated now, then it will happen again in next election and then in next and the system will continue to work as it has been working from last 60 years.
If some proper investigation is done that will help make election more transparent in future , even small steps can help and may be in 20 years we can become confident that our elections are fair.
If we 'move on' as you say, same thing will continue for ever.
@raheel:
PTI move on plzzzz.
PTI, press harder please--you got your foot on the jugular of the pathetic lying and cheating beasts! Let the whole Punjab see that the fake emporer has no clothes!
And I am sure you have the capacity to squeeze the truth out of the corrupt beast and improve KPK simultaneously, not like the darbaris who can't walk and chew gum at the same time!
@theOnlySane:
There is no need for a stupid committee--it is the election commission's jurisdiction and NADRA's responsibilty. Don't try to create smokescreens--they are useless and quite pathetic!
Get the verification done in the four constituencies, punish the responsible and the guilty if rigging found, hold fresh elections with bio metric verification, let whoever wins take the trophy and move on! PTI has repeatedly said, in absolutely clear terms, they would like the government to complete its term. What is the popularly elected government afraid of?
Brazen lies must stop; political shenanigans must cease; vote verification in four constituencies must begin; TRUTH must come out!
Ch. Nisar has no credibility, he changes his statement on vote verification issue every two hourrs
PTI move on plzzzz.. Move on for the betterment for the country. Transform KPK into Naya Pakistan. IA in next election u will sweep all across Pakistan.
hahaha but ofcourse.
Dear Interior Minister, if you are that much confident about electoral process, why don't you conduct inquiry in few constituencies and bury this matter once for all........???
We have such a rotten system that even most optimistic people would find it difficult to have any hope....
This is the root cause of all our problems...... We all want to know where our votes are? Chaudhary Nisar, please stop playing dirty games and let NADRA do thumb verification.
PTI is trying to hide its failure in KPK by pointing figures at others.
PTI should focus KPK where it has been given mandate and respect others mandate
60% votes are not verifiable or we can say 60% rigged votes