PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami, a partner of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led ruling coalition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday held the Chief Minister’s House responsible for the ‘worst rigging’ in the local government elections in Peshawar and demanded that Election Commission of Pakistan declare the May 31 electoral process null and void in the district before ordering re-polling.

The Sirajul Haq-led party also demanded constitution of a judicial commission under the supervision of the Peshawar High Court to hold inquiry into the alleged rigging and withhold all election results until the commission files its report.

Editorial: LG polls in KP

Addressing a news conference here, JI district chief Sabir Hussain Awan said PTI, which had raised hue and cry over rigging in the 2013 general elections itself, manipulated results of the local government polls in the provincial capital.

“The rigging plan was made at the Chief Minister’s House from where its execution was supervised,” he said.

Awan, who was flanked by senior JI leaders, said his party had obtained preliminary reports from candidates, who contested elections on party ticket and constituted legal team to handle the issue.

He asked the commission to declare election results in Peshawar null and void and hold re-polling under the supervision of judiciary and the army.

The JI leader also demanded that the proposed judicial commission take action against returning officers otherwise his party along with other political parties would stage a sit-in outside the provincial assembly for an indefinite period.

He said his party had approached other parties and would convene all parties’ conference.

Demands re-polling, judicial inquiry

Awan alleged that the government machinery including the police were used to manipulate results and that elections had exposed the government’s tall claims about impartiality of police in the province.

He said the police and polling staff fully supported PTI candidates and that the police officers deputed for the security of polling stations had pressured voters to favour PTI candidates.

The JI leader claimed that Hayatabad station house officer was present inside the polling station and was pressuring women to cast vote for PTI candidates.

“In some areas, PTI workers suspended polling with the support of police. They also damaged ballot boxes at several polling stations where its candidates’ position was weak,” he said.

JUI TO AGITATE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Monday announced it would hold rallies and sit-ins across the province on Thursday against the alleged election rigging and organise an all-party conference on the matter on June 6.

Speaking at a news conference here, JUI-F provincial general secretary Maulana Shujaul Mulk said May 30 (2015) would be remembered as a black day in the history of the country due to the rigged local body elections in the province.

Mulk said the provincial government, ministers, MPAs and officers violated sanctity of ballot paper and rigged entire process.

“The ruling party (PTI) workers with the support of police took away ballot boxes, stopped people from casting vote and violated code of conduct. The ECP and federal government should suspend officials deputed to conduct polls and dismiss provincial government forthwith,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said polling staff and PTI workers stamped ballot papers and at some polling stations staff was held hostage at gunpoint.

RE-ELECTION DEMANDED: Several candidates for the local government polls on Monday alleged massive rigging in the electoral exercise and demanded CM House behind rigging: JI re-election.

Addressing separate news conferences at the Peshawar Press Club, the candidates claimed that influential people held the election staff hostage and did not allow their supporters to cast vote in a bid to declare results of their choice.

ANP candidate for district council from Mahal Tirai union council No 3 Mian Tariq Shah and JUI-F candidate for town council Nek Mohammad said the provincial government had set new record of poll rigging and violated the sanctity of vote through its ‘cronies’.

Mohammad Wisal of ANP, Asad of QWP, Nasir Mohmand of JUI-F and a large number of the workers of PPP, ANP, JUI-F, QWP and PML-N were also present on the occasion.

They accused the provincial government of stealing the mandate of the people of the area.

The candidates said stamped ballot papers were handed to women and men to put in ballot boxes, while PTI supporters openly stamped ballot papers and that polling agents were not given copies of the results.

They also claimed that they had a video clip of the poll rigging and irregularities.

Similarly, district and town council candidates from union council No 29 Deha Bahadur criticised the provincial government for what they called rigging the local government polls and demanded re-election.

They alleged that more votes than the registered voters in the ward were polled.

On the other hand, PTI activist Sheharyar Ahmed, candidate from Bar Moli Swabi, general council candidate Nowsher Khan and youth council candidate Mohammad Ibrahim blamed Awami Jamhoori Ittehad and PPP candidates for rigging elections and demanded re-election.

A losing candidate from Mashu Gagar union council, Hidayat Shah, alleged that the winning candidate used a huge amount and demonstrated vandalism to win elections.

They demanded re-election in the area under the army’s supervision.

PTI activist Hidayat Shah, candidate for district council, Malik Rahmanullah, independent contender for district council, and Waqar Ahmad of ANP, candidate for general council seat, also alleged that their opponent candidate of PML-N won elections by using money and force as he was a rich person while all losing contesters belonged to poor families.

During the news conference, they also produced ‘fake’ votes.

They alleged that due to the complicated process, the PML-N workers cheated elderly people to cast their votes for their candidate.

Other candidates, including Said Karim from Kakshal and Zahid Khan, accused the presiding officer for supporting PTI candidates.

They also demanded re-elections.

Earlier, several candidates belonging to various political parties held protest demonstrations against ECP over its failure to check election rigging.

The protesters included Jamaat-i-Islami candidate for district council Sirajud Din Qureeshi and independent candidate Irfan Khan.

ANP leader Haroon Bilour and Advocate Akbar Khan of PPP addressed protesters.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2015

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