LAHORE: Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq on Monday testified before an election tribunal during hearing of a case about alleged rigging in NA-125, Lahore.

Runner-up candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Hamid Khan, had filed a petition for inspection of the election record to expose the alleged rigging committed by the PML-N in the 2013 election. The tribunal adjourned the proceedings till April 3.

Talking to media persons, the minister said PTI and his other political rivals had nothing to prove their allegation of rigging in the constituency. He questioned 40-hour delay after the polling in rigging allegations levelled by Imran Khan. If there were complaints about election process, the PTI should have raised them the same day, he added.

He said polling agents of PTI were also present on all polling stations. He claimed that the voting in NA-125 was held in a transparent manner. Not a single fake vote was recovered during inspection of 15 polling stations of the constituency, randomly selected by the tribunal, he said.

Mr Rafiq said the chief secretary and police officers of Punjab were transferred before the election. He dispelled the impression that then caretaker chief minister Najam Sethi favoured PML-N rather he damaged the party in the election. He said his party had not recommended the name of Mr Sethi to head the caretaker setup.

The minister alleged that Imran Khan and his companions were pawns of the establishment in the 2013 general election. He also questioned the justification of vote cast in favour of Imran Khan. “I pray to Almighty Allah to bless Imran Khan with wisdom since he is married now,” the minister said.

About Rangers operation in Karachi, the minister said MQM was taken into confidence before the launch of the operation. However, the party conveyed its reservations to the prime minister.

He said the operation was not against any political party but the criminals. He said all political parties themselves should isolate their militant wings. Only personnel of law-enforcement agencies had the right to keep weapons, he added.

Judicial remand: An anti-terrorism court on Monday sent 27 suspects involved in rioting after twin blasts at Youhanabad churches to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

Nishtar Colony police produced the suspects before the court and pleaded they were involved in lynching two men, damaging public and private property and manhandling a female car rider.

The police sought 14-day physical remand of the suspects.

However, ATC judge Ayub Marth after hearing the prosecution sent all the 27 suspects to jail on 14-day judicial remand.

The court directed the police to complete the case challan till next hearing and also conduct identification parade.

The court also directed the police to arrest other suspects involved in the case at the earliest and produce them before it.

Bail: The Lahore High Court on Monday granted bail to three suspects involved in attacking participants in a candlelit-vigil held at Liberty Chowk to mark the fourth death anniversary of slain governor Salman Taseer.

Suspects Adeel, Irfan and Furqan pleaded through their counsel that the police had arrested them merely on suspicion. They said the police failed to produce any evidence against them.

A division bench heard the arguments and allowed petitions of the suspects.

The bench directed the petitioners to furnish bail bonds of Rs100,000 each.

The Gulberg police had registered a case against the suspects.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2015

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