Rigging probe: PTI submits list of 13 witnesses before judicial commission

The list contains the names of Punjab caretaker CM Najam Sethi, former MQM leader Nabil Gabool & Hmaid Mir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted a list of 13 witnesses including careteker Pubjab Chief Minister Najam Sethi, former MQM leader Nabil Gabool and journalist Hamid Mir before the judicial inquiry commission to record their statements regarding the alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections.

Through their counsel Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, the party on Tuesday submitted a four-page application listing the 13 witnesses, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune.

In addition to the above mentioned names, the application also listed the Managing Directors of Printing Corporation of Pakistan Press Karachi, PCPP Press Lahore and Pakistan Security Printing Corporation Karachi, who held office at the time of acquisition and printing of ballot papers, as witnesses.

The list also contained the names of then chief secretary to the caretaker Punjab government Javed Iqbal, provincial Election Commissioners of Punjab and Sindh, then additional chief secretary to the caretaker setup in Punjab Rao Iftikhar, Head of FAFEN Muddassir Rizvi and chairman NADRA Usman Yousaf Mobeen.

“It would in the interest of justice that the statements of the said persons be recorded as prayed and that PTI be permitted to also propose questions which the commission may pose to these persons as witnesses”, the application reads.

It also claimed that the testimonies, statements and evidence of these persons has direct nexus with the three questions to be inquired into and determined by the commission, terming the examination necessary, appropriate and warranted.

Read: SC forms judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in 2013 polls

The application further maintained that PTI has identified other officials and persons who are relevant as well as material that could be used as witnesses in the matter. This, it said, requires investigation by the commission to make the determinations pursuant to section 3 of the General Elections 2013 Inquiry Commission Ordinance 2015.

Meanwhile, PTI chairman Imran Khan, while speaking to the media after a meeting of the party on the matter in Islamabad, said he will himself appear before the judicial commission tomorrow to elaborate on poll rigging during the 2013 general elections.