Fact sheet unveiled: ECP rejects Imran’s extra ballot paper claim

Invites PTI to present evidence to back the allegation

ISLAMABAD:

Redrawing the battle lines in the controversy surrounding last year’s polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) claim that extra ballot papers were published during the electoral exercise in the fact sheet it presented before the parliamentary panel on electoral reforms.

It also insisted that the 2013 general elections were fair and invited PTI to present evidence to back its claim that extra ballot papers were published in Urdu Bazaar, Lahore. “In the fitness of things to propose that those quarters who have levelled these allegations should prove the allegations before the appropriate forum,” said ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan while briefing the parliamentary panel on electoral reforms.

During Monday’s meeting, the Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) briefed the panel on the production of ballot papers during last year’s polls.

Briefing the 33-member panel headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the ECP secretary said that the owner of the printing press in Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, who was accused of printing extra ballot papers, had been served a legal notice.

The fact sheet includes observations as well as the international response related to the credibility of the elections, details of initiatives introduced by the ECP, explanation over the appointment of district Returning Officers, use of magnetized ink, record of election petitions and post-election report.

The ECP secretary claimed that the procedure for selection of specified paper used for ballot papers and its printing was supervised by army troops.

Scoffing at the notion, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed said, “People are printing counterfeit banknotes and you are saying that paper is not available in the market.”

PTI chief Imran Khan has repeatedly alleged that extra ballot papers were printed by a private printing press in Lahore and were used to rig the polls. While PTI members were not present during Monday’s meeting, Rashid, a staunch ally of Imran’s party raised several questions over the credibility of last year’s elections.

Responding candidly to a question on why the poll body had not clarified allegations leveled against it earlier, the ECP secretary said “we have issued a rebuttal on the issue but cannot deliver speeches on it.”

“The record containing the names of representatives of the returning officers (ROs) along with details of the exact number of ballot paper books handed over to them is available with the government’s printing presses which can be produced as and when required for investigations,” Ahmed said.

Delving into the debate on ballot papers, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Senator Farooq H Naek questioned “Where are the used and unused ballot papers, can you present them?”

In response, the secretary said: “They go to district treasury as per the routine practice.” But we would have our own storage capacity in the future, he added.

On appointment of ROs [judicial officers], the secretary said that it was done after the insistence of political parties. After a lively round of questions, the panel deferred the session till Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2014.