In letter to CEC, Shehbaz Sharif urges action on Daska by-poll reports

ISLAMABAD: PML-N President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) urging him to take action against those involved in “pre-planned rigging” in Daska by-poll.

Shehbaz stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released two fact-finding inquiry reports pertaining to the NA-75 Sialkot-V (Daska) by-election.

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Both reports contain “compelling, indisputable facts which constitute a damning indictment of the Punjab Government for pre-meditated and systematic rigging of the by-election in NA-75 on 19th February, 2021,” he said.

“Overwhelming evidence of such rigging was available immediately after the by-election, which was one of the most controversial by-elections in Pakistan’s election history,” he added.

The PML-N president said, “Both Reports in effect confirm the widespread view [the PML(N) was certain ab initio] that the illegal events on polling day were pre-planned and executed in connivance and active collaboration of the district authorities at the behest of the Punjab government.”

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He urged the ECP to “exercise its powers under section 191 of the Act to file complaints before the court of sessions, Daska, against all election officials / persons performing duties in connection with the election who have been identified as having committed offences under sections 184, 186 and 187, punishable under section 188 of the Act.”

He further called for disciplinary action against the officials concerned and a probe to “fix responsibility on and file complaints against the persons at the Federal and Provincial levels (other than persons mentioned in the Reports) who were behind the scenes directors of the whole shameful episode”.