After, Hafiz Naeem’s refusal of seat acceptance , Molana’s allegations of massive rigging, GDA’s massive rally against election outcomes another bombshell fell out on 2024 election integrity as former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha claimed that results were changed in his jurisdiction to ensure the victory of candidates who were losing.
At a press conference on Saturday, Mr Chattha accused the CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja and CJP Qazi Faez Isa of being involved in “rigging” and claimed that results were changed to ensure the victory of candidates who were losing.
Punjab government’s official stance:
The Punjab caretaker government has decided to register a case against the ex-bureaucrat. A senior cabinet member of Punjab caretaker setup told media that the case will be registered in a day or two after approval from the provincial cabinet.
“The FIR will be lodged under sections 196, 196-A of the Criminal Procedure Code and 120-A, 120-B, 121-A, 171-G and 500 of Pakistan Penal Code,” the cabinet member said, adding that provisions of the election code of conduct are also likely to be added to the charge-sheet.
The cabinet member added that after the case has been registered, a joint committee of police and intelligence agencies will start the probe.
The caretaker government is “serious about the matter” and would vigorously pursue it, the cabinet member said, adding the election record and other material were already in custody.
Commissioner’s secretary house raided:
The CIA police raided the house of the former commissioner’s private secretary Ashfaq Tarrar in the Alipur Chattha area of Wazirabad on Saturday night, according to family and local sources. The police also took into custody the brother-in-law of Ashfaq Tarrar and seized mobile phones of family members.
Mr Tarrar’s wife claimed the cops entered the house after breaking the door locks and searched the whole place. Mr Tarrar, an employee of the provincial Mines and Minerals Department, had been working as the former commissioner’s secretary for some time and was considered his close aide.
Election Commission of Pakistan summons officials for inquiry:
Separately, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) inquiry committee summoned the district returning officers (DROs) of Rawalpindi Division’s six districts — including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Murree and Talagang.
Sources said the DROs — who are also the respective deputy commissioners of districts — and returning officers will record statements before the inquiry committee formed by ECP on Saturday.
In light of the committee’s recommendations, the ECP will decide whether or not to initiate legal proceedings against the commissioner.
PTI demanded judicial commission:
The PTI leadership has demanded an “independent and empowered” judicial commission to probe the former commissioner’s allegations.
Addressing a press conference, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan and Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said the chief justice shouldn’t become part of the proposed commission to investigate what they called the “robbery” of people’s mandate. The PTI leader demanded the inquiry’s result be shared with the public.
Mr Ayub, who is also the party’s nominee for prime minister, lamented the “blatant rigging” against his party and said PTI had rejected “fraud” elections because the mandate people gave “to their leader” Imran Khan was “pilfered”.
He said the probe commission should comprise “independent judges” to ensure a fair and transparent inquiry.
Mr Ayub stressed he was not demanding elections to be cancelled but wanted the real mandate to be recognized, and results should reflect the actual votes cast by people.
Mr Gohar said: “We are not demanding the chief justice’s (CJP) resignation, but a judicial inquiry must be held on the allegations to unmask the real orchestrators of election robbery”.
PML N termed it a conspiracy :
PML N termed it as an attempt to make hatred against bureaucracy The PML-N termed Mr Chattah’s statement ‘May 9 part-II’ aimed at setting the country ablaze as PTI is ‘provoking’ hatred against bureaucracy. Referring to the officer’s presser, Khwaja Asif during a media talk in Sialkot said PTI had at least got Form-45 after the Feb 8 polling, while in 2018 PML-N had been given the results on plain papers some of which he had sent to then army chief Qamar Bajwa. He regretted that family details of some bureaucrats are being shared on social media endangering their lives. PML-N nominee for chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif warned that those browbeating the officials would be dealt with an iron hand. PML-N leader Malik Ahmed Khan described ex-commissioner Liaquat Chattah’s statement as May 9 part-II for creating unrest in the country.