Additional evidence: Saad Rafique’s response sought on PTI request
PTI seeks its representative’s appearance before tribunal to record his statements.
Railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique. PHOTO: PPI
LAHORE:
Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq was asked on Saturday to respond to a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) application seeking permission for its representative to appear before the tribunal and record his statement about the proceedings of a one-man commission formed to probe rigging allegations.
The PTI counsel submitted that the notes taken by Advocate Rafiq Ahmed Bhatti, party’s representative who had accompanied the commissioner, retired district and sessions judge Sheikh Muhammad Tafseer, during his investigation could be an important addition to the evidence produced in Hamid Khan’s election petition.
The application stated that while the commissioner had submitted a report about the investigation, he did not submit the notes he took during the inquiry. Therefore, it said the representative of the party should be allowed to appear before the tribunal to record his statement about the inquiry and to submit his notes.
Two more applications submitted by the PTI’s counsel concerned expansion of the rigging probe to more polling stations in the constituency.
They asked the tribunal to allow inspection of polling bags in 25 additional polling stations. These were polling stations 25, 41, 44, 55, 65, 70, 75, 84, 87, 92, 93, 101, 104, 105, 108, 122, 194, 196, 199, 206, 214, 233, 234, 240 and 249. They said a large number of irregularities were found in the record of the 10 polling stations (30, 32, 46, 98, 112, 120, 191, 193, 194 and 195) covered in the initial inquiry. Therefore, they said, the probe should be expanded to more polling stations. In particular, the application said, it should be checked whether or not polling record was properly packed in the bags provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
No directions were issued on the latter two applications.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Muhammad Umer Riaz, Rafique’s counsel, said the applications were a ploy to delay the conclusion of the probe.
At a previous hearing, Rafiq had said that the PTI had yet to substantiate any of its allegations. He said the PTI’s polling agents had been present at all polling stations on the election day and had monitored voting.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2015.
Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq was asked on Saturday to respond to a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) application seeking permission for its representative to appear before the tribunal and record his statement about the proceedings of a one-man commission formed to probe rigging allegations.
The PTI counsel submitted that the notes taken by Advocate Rafiq Ahmed Bhatti, party’s representative who had accompanied the commissioner, retired district and sessions judge Sheikh Muhammad Tafseer, during his investigation could be an important addition to the evidence produced in Hamid Khan’s election petition.
The application stated that while the commissioner had submitted a report about the investigation, he did not submit the notes he took during the inquiry. Therefore, it said the representative of the party should be allowed to appear before the tribunal to record his statement about the inquiry and to submit his notes.
Two more applications submitted by the PTI’s counsel concerned expansion of the rigging probe to more polling stations in the constituency.
They asked the tribunal to allow inspection of polling bags in 25 additional polling stations. These were polling stations 25, 41, 44, 55, 65, 70, 75, 84, 87, 92, 93, 101, 104, 105, 108, 122, 194, 196, 199, 206, 214, 233, 234, 240 and 249. They said a large number of irregularities were found in the record of the 10 polling stations (30, 32, 46, 98, 112, 120, 191, 193, 194 and 195) covered in the initial inquiry. Therefore, they said, the probe should be expanded to more polling stations. In particular, the application said, it should be checked whether or not polling record was properly packed in the bags provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
No directions were issued on the latter two applications.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Muhammad Umer Riaz, Rafique’s counsel, said the applications were a ploy to delay the conclusion of the probe.
At a previous hearing, Rafiq had said that the PTI had yet to substantiate any of its allegations. He said the PTI’s polling agents had been present at all polling stations on the election day and had monitored voting.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2015.