"This matter has come to its conclusion and now lawyers should provide us their synopsis or outline of arguments in two days to conclude the case next week," Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk. PHOTO: AFP
The inquiry commission probing alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections cross-examined three returning officers (ROs) of National Assembly constituencies and found more irregularities in the electoral process.
The three-judge panel concluded the cross-examination of the ROs on Friday. The judges are likely to finish proceedings in the first week of July.
Anjum Raza, the RO of NA-130, Qamar Ejaz of NA-157 and Khalid Iqbal NA-171 testified before the commission and also fielded questions from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz counsels.
The officers admitted they had received a substantial number of extra ballot papers, but the papers were deposited with the treasury after the polling day. They claimed they had prepared the requisition for printing of ballot papers in their constituencies by rounding off the number to the next 100.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not give any instructions regarding the ballot papers, they said, claiming they had prepared the packing invoice and all the presiding officers of their constituencies had provided them the Form XV after the polling was completed.
NA-130 RO Raza said his constituency had 290,930 registered voters and 365,700 ballot papers were printed. He retained the 61,400 extra ballot papers. NA-157 RO Ejaz said the registered voters in his constituency were 334,495 and 400,000 ballot papers were printed. Around 203,379 were polled and he retained 13 boxes out of the 124 boxes of ballot papers. NA-171 RO Iqbal said his constituency had 336,787 registered voters while 390,000 ballot papers were printed. In total, 346,000 ballot papers were distributed and he retained 44,000 papers, which were deposited with the ECP after the polling was over.
At the end of the ROs testimony, Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk announced the matter had come to its conclusion and the lawyers of political parties should provide the panel with their synopsis or an outline of their arguments within two days.
PTI’s Abdul Hafeez Pirzada said he wanted to examine the record produced before the commission and sought two days, telling the judges he would start his arguments on Monday.
The chief justice asked the counsel for PML-N and PTI to submit the draft copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the parties, as the commission wanted to make it a part of its report.
Later, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar recorded his statement and rejected the rigging allegations of Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi and Jamaat-e-Islami witnesses.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2015.
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