Senators demand probe into alleged rigging in Feb 8 elections

ISLAMABAD: The members of the Upper House of the Parliament on Tuesday demanded the Senate to hold a probe into alleged rigging during February 8 general elections in a bid to “ensure free and fair polls and establish respect for public mandate”.

During the session, an adjournment motion was moved by Senators Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Mushtaq Ahmed, Syed Ali Zafar and others regarding the situation arising out of the results of general elections 2024 as a matter of national importance.

A number of senators raised concerns regarding allegations of poll rigging and last week’s press conference by former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha wherein he had accused the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the “rigging”.

‘CEC Raja should resign’

Addressing the upper house of Parliament, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed called for initiating treason and breach of constitution proceedings against the chief election commissioner while demanding his resignation.

“Those involved in election rigging are culprits of the nation,” he said, adding: “The election commission should ask for forgiveness from the nation and the CEC must tender resignation,” he said.

Senator Mushtaq demanded proceedings against the CEC under the Article 6 of the constitution.

He demanded formation of an empowered judicial commission for election probe. “The judicial commission should initiate countrywide inquiry on the basis of form 45,” he suggested.

JI senator demanded withdrawal of the funds for expenditure in general elections adding that those involved in rigging playing with the national security and solidarity.

Irfan Siddiqui laments PTI’s ‘double standards’

Taking the floor, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui questioned why PTI was unwilling to extend an olive branch to other political parties when they are reaching out to JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman over the issue of alleged rigging in the polls.

“It isn’t fair to say that no rigging took place where you won and vice versa,” he said, recalling that all the allegations levelled by the PTI today were similar to the “injustices” the PML-N faced in 2018.

He highlighted that none of the democratically elected governments were ever allowed to complete their tenure. “I agree with my colleagues that the history of our elections is not exactly the best. But why are we not talking about the 2018 polls?” he asked.

“And if the same happened again, then it took place across the country and not just in Punjab or Balochistan. It happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as well,” he added.

Irfan Siddiqui further said that the irregularities took place everywhere. He asked the Imran Khan-led party to come to Parliament and register its protest, saying that it was time that the politics of confrontation ends,” he added.

‘Form-45 should be verified’

PTI Senator Saif Ullah Abro, in his address, demanded that 858 total seats of national and provincial assemblies that had almost 160,000 From-45 (essential document to tabulate a provincial or general assembly constituency poll result) should be verified through audit to establish the credibility of the General Elections-2024 as free and fair polls.

“The victor of the polls after the probe should be announced at the floor of the Senate and the PTI will accept that party’s mandate who soever and I make this commitment on behalf of my party,” he said.

Meanwhile, PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar stated that the people of Pakistan had announced their decision in favour of PTI on Feb 8. “Despite the incidents of poll rigging, they have given a decision loud and clear,” he added.

He said that the PTI was harassed in the hope that “supporters won’t come out to vote” on Feb 8. The senator recalled that the homes of PTI candidates were raided, they were stopped from filing nomination papers and the party was not allowed to hold a single gathering.

“Despite all this, the nation came out and voted for the PTI on Feb 8. But when pre-poll rigging failed, post-poll rigging began. Our mandate has been stolen and if it is not returned then it will not stay in anyone’s hands,” he added.