Election rigging allegations: ECP to make inquiry report 'public'

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday decided to make the inquiry report of Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha’s rigging allegation public, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, the report will first be presented in the next Election Commission meeting.

The commission had formed a one-member committee to investigate the allegations, which was headed by Member Sindh Nisar Durrani.

The report includes statements from district and returning officers, the Election Commission said. Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Chatha had also submitted a written statement to the committee.

Also read: ECP completes probe into alleged rigging in Election 2024

Earlier, ECP’s high-level committee completed probe into allegations of the former Rawalpindi Commissioner regarding the alleged rigging in general elections 2024.

Sources 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.

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.

Read more: Rawalpindi commissioner resigns over alleged election rigging

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.