Pakistan

2013 general polls: ECP didn’t get unofficial results before midnight

PTI says Nawaz victory speech made at 11:30pm, affected results

Hasnaat Malik June 09, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) admitted before the inquiry commission on Monday that it had not received the unofficial results of any national or provincial constituency before the alleged victory speech of Nawaz Sharif on May 11, 2013.

DG Elections Sher Afgan said the ECP had received the first unofficial results after midnight and they were of Lower Dir.

This proves that Nawaz’s speech had affected the results of the 2013 general elections, Ishaq Khan Khakwani, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) taskforce, told The Express Tribune. “Nawaz Sharif had made his victory speech at 11:30pm.”

Similarly, during the hearing, the District Election Commissioner (DEC), Lahore Shahbar Abbas Bukhari, who was in the same post during the general elections, also admitted that the printing of ballot papers for NA-125 was different from the normal routine.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq won the election in NA-125 Lahore.

Earlier, the PTI counsel Abdul Hafiz Pirzada informed the tribunal that on Tuesday (today) he would inform whether to produce Imran Khan as a witness or not, as so far they are waiting for Form-15, which the ECP had not submitted despite the commission direction to file the Form-15 of all the constituencies on June 8.

Salman Akram Raja, representing the ECP, informed the tribunal that most of Form-15 had been obtained, while the rest of them would be procured by the evening.

However, the sources revealed to The Express Tribune that the commission had sent a questionnaire to the district courts judges regarding the opening of polling bags as well as Form-15.

They also said the reports received regarding Form-15 were a little shocking, wherein different irregularities have been pointed out by the district court judges

Similarly, Sher Afgan said security bonds in 55 National Assembly constituencies were forfeited in the last elections as it failed to procure one-fourth of the total votes polled in those constituencies.

He informed the commission that in August 2014 they have prepared review report about the 2013 elections and placed it on the ECP website, but did not receive any response from any political party.

Some 172 million ballot papers were printed, while 86 million voters cast their ballots in the elections, he said, adding that the ECP never reviewed the requirement of printing of ballot papers as the Provincial Election Commissioners had decided about the ballot papers.

The proceedings were adjourned till Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (13)

London Banker | 9 years ago | Reply @liaqat ali: Also since infrastructure helps create wealth better than health and education, I am still waiting to receive the bullet train PMLN promised from Peshawar to Karachi before the election.

London Banker | 9 years ago | Reply @liaqat ali: I won't respond fully to your uneducated thought process. All I would like to say is that the minimum literacy rate in the countries YOU mentioned is 98%. (Yes I googled them). I also like how you think health spending is 'redistribution' but metros are not. Just to help, redistribution is a good thing - Any spending is 'redistribution', this is about priorities. A 23km track of road does not create wealth but the 10,000 kids you could have educated in 30bn (Lahore Metro Cost) would definitely have created wealth. You can start stay stuck @ 50% literacy and build as many metros as you want. I know for you 100% literacy is unimaginable - The news is, its pretty much standard around the world. Even a country like Sri Lanka has 98% literacy.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Shujaat | 9 years ago | Reply During NS speech he asked for simple majority. One must think why and how it was possible? In the recent past, it is observed that a weak / coalition Govt can not take bold decisions, particularly, at a time when Pakistan needed the most to counter internal lawlessness ans terrorism. Coalition Govts remain under the threat of breakup, if stern actions are taken against the interest of any coalition partner.So, "SOME GAME PLANNERS" thought to give simple majority to PMLN by having cut on PTI seats, may be around 38-40. It was smartly played game, blamed people have their bases to uproar against game players. So, who can bring these blamed persons to JC to take a risk of exposing actual "PLANNERS". Karachi operation is one example of simple majority driven Govt.

liaqat ali | 9 years ago | Reply @London Banker: to achive full lietrecay and full healthcare facilities if provided by Govt needs money and not re distribution of whatever little country has. It needs to build infrastructures to help in creating wealth.Then it can be re dsitributed thru govt sponsored education and medical. If you are poor then what would you distribute? what is being spent on infrastructures in nothing conpared to what you need for govt , sponsored education and health care . I agree that more should be allocated to education but I disagree that 100 percent level must be achieved before efforts to develop the good infratstuructes.Logic is beyond me . Many developed nations havent reached that level even today while they have excelllent infrastuctues since decades. US , UK , Korea, Spain , just to name few. For Gemrany , I believe you have done propoer research so I wont comment .

azmat | 9 years ago | Reply @liaqat ali: Sir I respect your views and agree somehow that the victory speech had very little to do with the results if anything but you are not focusing on the real issue. How would you justify 30% extra election ballots in NA125 and no extra ballots in the constituency next to it? ECP's changing stance on the number of extra ballot papers printed, from zero, to I million to 6 million and eventually 8 million ? Against Najam Sethi, I agree that he was not questioned about "35 punctures" but tell me honestly, what proof do you need after the benefits he has received from the NS govt in shape of PCB chairmanship. he admitted in court that his niece also got elected on women reserved seat from PMLN ticket. the reason why PTI did not produce the tape in court is that they do not have it in their possession. It is common knowledge that the tape belonged to a US diplomat which he obviously will not hand over to PTI as that would amount to admitting that US is taping phone conversation of Pakistani politicians. My Friend, if you are looking for a proof that will prove beyond any doubt that ex CJ, Ramday, Najam Sethi and Jang Group held a meeting and decided in that meeting to rig the elections in favour of N league, and then you expect PTI to bring a video recording of that meeting, then off course it cannot be produced. The court has to rely on circumstantial evidence which at the minute is pointing towards rigging. Ramday's daughter rewarded, CJ's son rewarded, Najam Sethi rewarded, Geo group rewarded (remember when the entire govt sided with geo when ISI framed it for treason and anti-state activities and Hamid Mir case). Even the current hue and cry over Axact and Bol is also pointing towards the special relation ship between mir Shakil and our beloved PM

Fahad | 9 years ago | Reply @Liaqat Ali: The biggest impact is that the ROs would have manipulated the results so if in case PMLN come into power they are not ridiculed.

H.A.Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Voting stopped in nearly all constituencies by 5 PM;so how could a speech at 11:30 PM affect the voting and election results

London Banker | 9 years ago | Reply All signs, no matter how big or small, point towards one thing – That PMLN tried extremely hard and succeeded in getting an unfair advantage in the election. It is not important how big their margin was or whether they were winning - They won illegally and actively manipulated results through money, pressure and other tactics. The beauty of the system is that it yields results in the long term. 10 or 15 years down the line those who voted for PMLN will be able to look back and see what PMLN gave us; roads. Nations are built on education not roads. The Germans got the AutoBahn in the 1930’s do you know what the literacy rate was in Germany in 1930? 100%. 1920? 100% - They achieved 100% literacy in 1912.

Yousuf Malik | 9 years ago | Reply Sir, One can feel for IK and his party because they may have led themselves to believe that with the fiery guy from Canada and the expected fingure of the empire, the only extra thing needed to topple the government was to make wild repetitive allegations. Little did he expect to be called upon to prove these accusations. No wonder some of the major accused are not being asked to testify.

Pakpatriot | 9 years ago | Reply No honest man Plays to loose,,, If I was Nawaz sharif, I would have done victory speech one day earlier....!!

liaqat ali | 9 years ago | Reply I mean how a victory speach made publicly claiming victory based on TV reports of ALL CHANNELS could have altered results ?The trend indicated and reported uoto that point was no differrent than final results . If if it was conspiracy and specifc people were invloved why they were not in private contact with eachother and NS had to rely on a public speach to convey a message. In my view , victory was all but assured by that time , the only question was extent of the margin which he prayed to be a big . That all . the early victory speaches are normal . And gracefull accepotance of defaet is also normal but we are talking about honest societies here.

liaqat ali | 9 years ago | Reply I mean how a victory speach made publily claiming victory based on TV reports of ALL CHANNELS could have altered results ?The trend indicated and reported uoto that point was no differrent than final results . If if it was conspiracy and specifc people were invloved why they were not in private contact with eachother and NS had to rely on a public speach to convey a message. In my view , victory was all but assured by that time , the only question was extent of the margin which he prayed to be a big . That all . the early victory speaches are normal . And gracefull accepotance of defaet is also normal but we are talking about honest societies here.

liaqat ali | 9 years ago | Reply How? PTI doesnt even have a scnerio how it could have happended. forget about the proof. Does PTI think ,people are just dumb fools .IK , I voted for your party where it won in Lahore(no rigging there?) and I may still vote for it again as there are no better choices. But you and your followeres are loosing my respect at a fast pace. Please stick to truth and not lies over lies over lies. you didnt question Najam Sethi , you doidnt call ex CJP OR RAMDAY OR geo AS WITNESSES SO WHERE IS YOUR GRAND CONSIPRACY THEORY ? You didnt even try to present your theory to the judicail commission which proves that you knew it is a big lie. no wonder PTI is loosing all over .Which is a pity .

Replying to X