Inquiry committee finds ex-Rawalpindi commissioner’s allegations were ‘false’

ISLAMABAD: The inquiry committee, constituted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), concluded in its report that the allegations levelled by former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha regarding ‘election rigging’ were ‘false and based on lies’, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources.

The inquiry report came a day after Liaquat Ali Chatha backtracked on his allegations that he played a role in rigging the elections to make the losers win in Rawalpindi Division.

In a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary, Chattha said last week’s press conference was held at the behest of a senior PTI leader, who also happens to be a proclaimed offender.

Insiders told ARY News that the high-level committee, in its report, submitted today, recommends legal action against the former Rawalpindi commissioner for making “false accusations and potentially impacting the commission’s integrity”.

The inquiry committee thoroughly investigated Chatha’s allegations, reviewing evidence and interviewing relevant officials. Their findings, as per sources, conclusively debunked the claims of rigged elections.

The committee, according to the sources, mentioned the Chatha’s letter in its report and quoted him as saying that he was influenced by “external forces” when making his statement. “Mr Chatha has apologised to ECP in front of the inquiry committee,” it stated.

The inquiry report has attached Chatha’s statement, along with details regarding returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from national and provincial constituencies.

READ: Rawalpindi commissioner resigns over alleged election rigging

Expressing shame and embarrassment in his letter, the former Rawalpindi commissioner sought an apology from the nation. Chatha stated that the entire plan to malign state institutions was approved by “the PTI leadership”.

The ex-commissioner clarified that he never instructed any Returning Officer to show favoritism or intervene in the election process.

“With a 32-year service record, I was scheduled to retire on March 13, 2024, and held concerns about potential loss of benefits in the future. I deeply regret my statement and offer a sincere apology to the nation,” Chatha stated.

The former commissioner revealed that during his role as Punjab’s secretary, he forged close ties with a political party official, aiming for future advantages.

“The party official went into hiding due to involvement in the May 9 incidents, I was in touch with him and also used to assist him secretly,” he said.

Liaquat Chatta disclosed a covert meeting with the leader of a political party in Lahore on February 11 and was tasked with devising a plan to ‘confirm’ allegations of election rigging, however, concerned about the potential ineffectiveness of the accusations, he opted to conduct an emotionally charged press conference.