Army was responsible for distribution of ballot papers: Ahsan Iqbal

Iqbal says it is ridiculous to say caretakers appointed by PPP-led government had paved the way for a PML-N victory.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday refuted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allegations that the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had somehow printed extra ballot papers ahead of the May 11 elections, noting that its distribution was the responsibility of the Army, Radio Pakistan reported.

Iqbal, while speaking to the media after the joint session of the Parliament on Wednesday, said the fairness of May 2013 elections was acknowledged by neutral observers.

He added that it was ridiculous to say that the caretakers appointed by the PPP-led government had paved the way for a PML-N victory since for the first time the chief election commissioner was appointed through national consensus.

Referring to PTI’s initial demand of recounting in four constituencies, he said it was the jurisdiction of the election commission, not the government, to probe the elections.

Responding to Imran Khan’s complaint that the process of disposing election petitions was slow, Iqbal reminded the PTI chief that he could not dispose of appeals against party elections in 18 months.

Minister for Science Zahid Hamid urged both the PTI and PAT to end their protests as their continuation would sabbotage the forthcoming visit of the Chinese president.