The Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) high-level committee completed probe into allegations of the former Rawalpindi Commissioner regarding the alleged rigging in general elections 2024, sources said on Wednesday. According to sources, the committee’s last meeting will be held in Islamabad where the report on Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chattha’s election rigging allegations will be finalized and the report will be submitted to the ECP. Sources further said that the recorded statements of DROs and RO of 13 National Assembly constituencies and 26 provincial assembly constituencies of Rawalpindi division will be included in the committee report. Earlier, the high-level committee of ECP recorded statements of District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) of concerned constituencies. The sources privy to the development said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) also submitted the transcript of former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha’s presser, accusing ECP and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘election rigging’. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also demanded the ‘immediate resignation’ of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja for ‘failing’ to hold general elections 2024 in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Commissioner Rawalpindi’s allegations

In a shocking ‘revelation’, Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha – who stepped down from his post – dropped a bombshell on Saturday, confessing to be involved in rigging the Pakistan general elections 2024, adding another layer of controversy to the already disputed polls. Taking responsibility for what he termed a “heinous crime,” Chatha implicated not only himself but also accused the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘rigging’ — a claim denied by the ECP and the CJP. The presser came almost a week after the Feb 8 general elections as the ECP has already been in the crosshairs of several rigging allegations amidst PTI and other political parties’ nationwide protests, claiming they were deprived of their mandate. The ECP flatly rejected the rigging allegations put forth by Liaquat Ali Chatta against the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner. The spokesperson said in a statement that neither the ECP nor any of its officials instructed the Rawalpindi commissioner to change election results under his jurisdiction.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)