Poll rigging allegations: Imran quotes from NADRA report as evidence of rigging
Nadra chairman denies sharing report on NA-122 with PTI chief
Imran Khan comes out of the Supreme Court after hearing of the judicial commission. PHOTO: WASIM NAZIR / EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Days after an election tribunal ordered re-polling in Lahore’s NA-125 constituency, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said NADRA will release a report on rigging in NA-122 within a week, a claim which was refuted by the Nadra chief.
After meeting NADRA chairman Usman Mobin in Islamabad on Wednesday, Imran read out points from the “pre-scan” report issued by the authority.
“While voter list has disappeared from 24 polling stations, there were duplicate serial numbers in 30 of them,” he said, adding prescribed serial number booklets were not found in 50 polling stations.
Imran added that the judge will give his verdict once NADRA provides the report after fingerprint verification of votes cast in NA-122. “There will be no democracy in the country if we don’t hold free and fair elections,” he said.
The PTI chief added that his party will “initiate criminal proceedings against returning officers (ROs) who let ‘rigging’ happen in front of them, and did not do anything”.
When asked if he was pressurising NADRA, he said, if he was doing so, it was only so that justice will be served in the country. On December 8 an election tribunal allowed the petition of PTI chief Imran Khan and constituted a commission to probe into the alleged rigging in NA-122, the constituency from where National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emerged victor.
NADRA chairman’s denial
Nadra chairman Usman Mobin on Wednesday denied he had shared a report on NA-122 with PTI chairman Imran Khan. Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday evening, he clarified that the PTI chief had visited him at the Nadra Headquarters seeking information about the report on NA-122. However, Mobin said that the report is sealed and that neither the report, nor any part thereof was shared with Imran, adding that the meeting lasted only ten minutes. Nadra chief added that there was no pressure on the organisation from the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.
Days after an election tribunal ordered re-polling in Lahore’s NA-125 constituency, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said NADRA will release a report on rigging in NA-122 within a week, a claim which was refuted by the Nadra chief.
After meeting NADRA chairman Usman Mobin in Islamabad on Wednesday, Imran read out points from the “pre-scan” report issued by the authority.
“While voter list has disappeared from 24 polling stations, there were duplicate serial numbers in 30 of them,” he said, adding prescribed serial number booklets were not found in 50 polling stations.
Imran added that the judge will give his verdict once NADRA provides the report after fingerprint verification of votes cast in NA-122. “There will be no democracy in the country if we don’t hold free and fair elections,” he said.
The PTI chief added that his party will “initiate criminal proceedings against returning officers (ROs) who let ‘rigging’ happen in front of them, and did not do anything”.
When asked if he was pressurising NADRA, he said, if he was doing so, it was only so that justice will be served in the country. On December 8 an election tribunal allowed the petition of PTI chief Imran Khan and constituted a commission to probe into the alleged rigging in NA-122, the constituency from where National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq emerged victor.
NADRA chairman’s denial
Nadra chairman Usman Mobin on Wednesday denied he had shared a report on NA-122 with PTI chairman Imran Khan. Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday evening, he clarified that the PTI chief had visited him at the Nadra Headquarters seeking information about the report on NA-122. However, Mobin said that the report is sealed and that neither the report, nor any part thereof was shared with Imran, adding that the meeting lasted only ten minutes. Nadra chief added that there was no pressure on the organisation from the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.