Pakistan

Rigging probe: Poll material found in rice, wheat bags

300 polling bags could not be found during the re-opening process

Rana Yasif June 17, 2015

300 polling bags could not be found during the re-opening process. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

LAHORE:

The judicial staff, reopening polling bags on the directives of the inquiry commission probing alleged rigging in the May 2013 polls, has found around 6,000 Form-15 missing out of more than 9,650 Forms at some twelve provincial and National Assembly constituencies of Lahore.

According to sources, around 300 polling bags could not be found during the re-opening process. More than 2,600 polling bags were found unsealed and mostly the record was found packed in rice and wheat bags rather than the material provided by the election commission.

Out of the total 265 polling stations at NA-125 constituency, where Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique defeated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Hamid Khan, around 68 Form-15 were found. At the constituency 30 polling bags were missing while seals of 230 polling bags were found broken.

At PP-155 constituency only 49 Form-15 were found, with 101 Form-15 missing. At PP-156 constituency, 51 Form-15 were available while 58 were missing. Ten polling bags were also found missing.

At NA-122 constituency, where National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq defeated PTI chief Imran Khan, 209 Form-15 were found out of the total 284. However, no polling bag was found with a broken seal. At PP-147 constituency, 92 Form-15 were found while 24 remained missing. One polling bag was also found with broken seal. At PP-148 constituency 104 Form-15 were found while 63 were missing.

At National Assembly’s NA-119 constituency from where Hamza Shahbaz Sharif won elections, 204 out of the total 282 Form-15 were available. However, more than 200 polling bags were found with broken seals. At NA-120 constituency of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, only 96 Form-15 out of total 220 were available. Around ten polling bags were also found missing while more than 40 polling bags were with broken seals.

At NA-121 only 229 forms out of 276 were found while five bags were discovered with broken seals. Sixty-eight forms were missing at NA-123 where 199 forms were found against the total 267. Some 35 polling bags were found with broken seals.

At NA-124 more than 225 forms out of the total 264 were available. More than 200 polling bags were found with broken seals.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (11)

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Open and missing bags of ballots is indicative of some mischief and it directly reflects on the legitimacy of the current ruling government. If there is any decency or true belief in the process of democracy for the future of this unfortunate country, Nawaz Sharif should ask the President to dissolve the government and call for new elections but it is never the way of Pakistani politicians. They will stick to these chairs like they own it unless forced out by the establishment. Sad and very shameful.

Ranjha | 9 years ago | Reply Amazing election. Rice bags, wheat bags....Sounds like the recipe for a complicated pullao cooked by the "Honourable" Election Commission of Islamic Republic of Pakistan!

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Shakil | 9 years ago | Reply If PMLN focus on next elections rather than defending rigging, that will be more useful for them! If this is not rigging than what is?

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Oops: 75 form 15 missing in na122, so not all is perfect :)

bebarg | 9 years ago | Reply For any one who think that it is due to human error. No this is clearly due to human error Paid by Nawaz Sharif. These forms were produced at the polling stations but due to fudging at RO office, they did not agreed with the maneuvered results and were removed.

jahan | 9 years ago | Reply If again elections are conducted, same will follow due to incompetence. They should start using 21st century technology for election process. Current process is obselete method and technically its impossible to conduct transparent elections with this process because involvement of high human factor, so as chances of errors are high. Pakistan has high potential and creative people. My suggestion is, if government could just offer price to winners who design most efficient and transperent process utilizing current available resources, it will be revolution. There are lot of university students and alumina who are competant enough to design cutting edge system. But in short, no body want fair elections in pakistan, specially real stake holders, who are getting advantage from this corrupt system.

JB | 9 years ago | Reply Winners of the seats above are all PMLN if I am not mistaken. I simply do not know what other evidences are required by the investigators. When important information is missing, there is obviously some monkey business.

Oops | 9 years ago | Reply Oops all bags were perfect in NA122. Hahah to pti. The only seat they are after turns out to have all seals.

T Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Election process simply reflects the inefficient officers conduct. This is not rigging.

Blunt | 9 years ago | Reply "Accusers can't present any proof of rigging" I think rulers now might be considering for some new excuses to defend the rigging.

Sufian | 9 years ago | Reply What to investigate now? Isnt it enough? it was supposed to be elections, i dont think there was anything happened on may 2013 which can be termed as an election. Grow up Pakistan! Please!

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