Inquiry commission: ‘Imran’s media talks affecting proceedings’

PML-N, PTI advised against making damaging public statements

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has told the inquiry commission looking into the allegations of rigging in the 2013 general elections that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was interfering with the proceedings.

As the three-judge panel headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk initiated the hearing on Wednesday, PML-N’s counsel Shahid Hamid submitted copies of the transcript of PTI chief Imran Khan’s May 12 media talk outside the Supreme Court.

Hamid said that after Tuesday’s proceedings, Imran had held a press conference wherein, on four occasions, he had said: “The witness (former Punjab election commissioner Mehboob Anwar) is a liar.”

The PML-N’s counsel quoted Imran as saying that “the patron of rigging has emerged”. Hamid said the PTI chairman had threatened Anwar and violated section 3, 4 of the Inquiry Commission on General Election 2013 Ordinance.

“This is interference in the work of the commission. He is your witness,” said Hamid, following which the CJP said “we have noted it” and then invited the counsels for the PML-N and the PTI in his chamber.

CJP Nasir held a meeting with Hamid and PTI’s counsel Abdul Hafeez Pirzada apparently to discuss the objections raised by the PML-N’s counsel. After the meeting, both the counsels refused to tell the media what the three men discussed.

However, according to sources, the CJP had asked both the counsels to stop their leaders from making public statements that could affect the proceedings of the inquiry commission.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the PML-N’s counsel suggested that the returning officers and the district returning officers be summoned and questioned as to how they had ascertained that the number of ballot papers was 10 per cent more than the registered voters. “My client has no idea of additional printing of ballot papers.” The commission, however, asked Hamid to file a proper application regarding his proposal.

Salman Akram Raja, the counsel representing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), informed the inquiry body that he wanted to file more documents, following which CJP Nasir told him that the documents related to the ECP should be filed through the electoral body’s witnesses.

During the proceedings, the PML-N’s counsel said he was not prepared, as the counsel for the PTI had said in the previous hearing that he would take another day to cross-examine the former Punjab election commissioner. However, Pirzada said his cross-examination had concluded.

The PTI’s counsel submitted some documents and requested the inquiry body to go through them before the cross-examination on Thursday (today). The hearing has been adjourned until 11:30am today.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2015.