ECP committee to acquire transcript of Commissioner Rawalpindi’s presser

ISLAMABAD: The high-level committee, constituted by Election Commission of Pakistan, has decided to write to Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to acquire ‘complete transcript’ of former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha’s presser, accusing ECP and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘election rigging’, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing sources.

Sources told ARY News that the decision was taken during today’s meeting of high-level committee – constituted to probe the claims made by the former commissioner.

During the meeting, the committee decided to write to PEMRA Chairman for seeking ‘complete transcript’ of Liaquat Ali Chatha.

The committee also decided to record statements of all returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) of Rawalpindi Division. The statements of DROs of Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang and Murree will be recorded, sources added.

Furthermore, sources claimed the committee would record statements of returning officers of 13 National Assembly constituencies and 26 provincial assembly constituencies.

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.

Chattha revealed that on Saturday morning he thought of committing suicide but then he decided to ‘expose’ the entire rigging fiasco. “I want to die a peaceful death” he added.

Meanwhile, 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.

Commissioners of any division do not have a direct role in conducting elections; they are neither District Returning Officers (DROs), Returning Officers (ROs), nor Presiding Officers (POs), the spokesperson noted.

Following the presser, Liaquat Ali Chattha was transferred and Rawalpindi Development Authority DG Saif Anwar Jappa was given the additional charge.

Soon after taking charge as the commissioner, Jappa along with DROs of Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock, Talagang, and Rawalpindi districts said there was no pressure to tamper with election results.

The DROs also demanded a probe into the allegations levelled by the ex-commissioner.

Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s political future as none of the major political parties – PML-N, PPP or the PTI-backed independent candidates – secured a simple majority in the National Assembly in the February 8 general elections.