Inquiry commission's report termed May 2013 elections as fair, claims PML-N lawyer

PML-N's Shahid Hamid says govt has received copy of commission's report, which is expected to be released on...

ISLAMABAD: The inquiry commission formed to probe the May 2013 general elections has rejected all three allegations made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of organised rigging, validating the polls, a leading counsel of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) claimed on Wednesday evening.

“I have been told by my client (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) that the (inquiry commission) report has been received by the federal government and the commission has rejected PTI’s allegations of rigging in the 2013 general elections,” advocate Shahid Hamid told The Express Tribune, clarifying that he has yet to see the report himself.

Hamid recalled that according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between the PML-N and the PTI to constitute the commission, both parties had agreed to accept the commission’s verdict.

Noting that the federal government is bound by law to make the report public, Hamid said that it is expected that the government may release the report publicly either later on Wednesday or on Thursday morning.

Express News reported that the government is expected to hold a high level meeting on Thursday.

Read: 2013 election rigging: 86 days on, judicial panel concludes proceedings

The PML-N counsel said that the issue of election rigging had now ‘past and closed,’ and that political parties should focus real issues.

Earlier, official sources had confirmed that the three judge commission, headed by chief justice Nasir ul Mulk and comprising by Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, had sent its 300 page report to the law ministry.

The inquiry commission had been formed through mutual consent of both the PTI and the PML-N to probe allegations of rigging in the May 2013 general elections. The commission had concluded its proceedings on July 3 after nearly 86 days of work. The commission held 39 hearings, during which 69 witnesses were presented. The first hearing of the commission was held on April 9.

Meanwhile, PTI’s legal task force chairman Ishaq Khan Khakwani said that they had yet to receive the commission’s report, hence, they could not comment over it.

JC has punctured the 35 penture theory. #35Lies

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) July 22, 2015

Alhamdulillah!!! Reportedly, Judicial Commission has cleared elections 2013 and rejected PTI allegations on all... http://t.co/BADC3lslAO

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) July 22, 2015

Kuch sharam karo ... Kuch haya karo ... pic.twitter.com/PQndKKhLam

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) July 22, 2015

Caution in PTI camp

Meanwhile, there was caution among PTI ranks, with some believing that reports surrounding the verdict contained within the report had been exaggerated by the PML-N.

PML-N lawyer Shahid Hamid said it on TV that he has not seen the report yet but he was informed by his client.... http://t.co/kfEcS4IXUz

— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) July 22, 2015

If the JC report is indeed in N's favour, why are these 'govt sources' so reluctant to release a copy to the media? Daal mein kuch kala?

— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) July 22, 2015

News regarding JC sending its report to Govt is seems major propaganda. If its otherwise, question would raise as why JC leaked it to media?

— Adil Ansari (@AnsariAdil) July 22, 2015

Apparently the Judicial Commission has submitted its report to the Government. PTI will issue its response after receiving this report.

— Naeem ul Haque (@naeemul_haque) July 22, 2015