Judicial commission: PTI ‘backtracks’ from rigging claim

Party’s counsel withdraws names of key witnesses

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seems to be backtracking from its claim that the May 2013 general elections were heavily rigged in the southern Sindh province.

Appearing before the inquiry commission, the PTI’s counsel Abdul Hafeez Pirzada on Monday withdrew the names of three witnesses – Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) Sindh S M Qadri, Printing Corporation of Pakistan Press’s (PCPP) Karachi MD Muzaffar Ali Chandio and former MNA Nabeel Gabol.

The PEC Sindh and PCPP Karachi chief were present in the courtroom but the PTI counsel did not cross examine them.

A senior member of the PTI, however, stated that there was no need to cross examine these witnesses as the PTI already has enough material to prove that extra ballot papers were printed without adhering to the uniform policy.

He rejected the impression that the PTI is backtracking from its earlier stance that elections were rigged in the province and said their counsel did cross examine Pakistan Security Printing Corporation Karachi (PSPCK) MD Rizwan Ahmad.

“We will prove in our arguments how the elections were rigged in every constituency of the province of Sindh, as well as in Balochistan,” he said.

Meanwhile, during the hearing, the PTI’s counsel told the commission that they wanted to include two more witnesses – Provincial Election Commissioner Balochistan and Commissioner Lahore .

On Monday, the counsel crossed examined the PSPCK chief Rizwan Ahmad before the commission.

During his cross examination, PSPCK MD said initially the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had estimated more than 68 million ballot papers but this number was increased to more than 73 million.

He said all the ballot papers were printed prior to May 9, 2013 adding that in eight constituencies, ballot papers were reprinted due to the court’s verdicts. Rizwan Ahmad stated that ballot papers, which were printed earlier, were destroyed in the presence of army personnel.

“All the ballot papers were handed over to the representatives of the ECP, returning officer and army officials and there must be delivery record available in the office,” he said.

He said firstly they sent ballot papers to Balochistan, later on to Punjab and at the end to upper and southern Sindh.

“During the printing, army was deployed inside and outside the premises of the PSPCK, which had also employed some private individuals for numbering of the ballot papers,” he said.

The commission has summoned NADRA Chairman Usman Yousaf Mobeen and Muddassir Rizvi, head of programmes at Free and Fair Election Network and the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability at the next hearing (Thursday).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2015.