Judicial commission report nullifies all allegations, says Iftikhar Chaudhry

Dawn.com Published July 24, 2015

QUETTA: Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has termed the judicial commission's report, formed to probe alleged rigging during the 2013 general elections, as an important milestone in the country's history.

“All those who alleged that rigging was done during the elections have been proven wrong and all conspiracies have now come to an end,” said the former chief justice.

Read: I'm waiting to face Iftikhar Chaudhry in court: Imran Khan

“The people who were talking of alleged rigging are now seen as liars and the judicial commission has proved that elections were free and fair,” added Chaudhry while speaking to the media at Khurshid Labour Hall in Quetta, DawnNews reported.

Iftikhar Chaudhry also asked the government, political parties and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to introduce electoral reforms, in order to avoid any rigging allegations in the future.

The former chief justice further said that he would soon announce the formation of his own political party.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had earlier in the year accused former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman Ramday of allegedly supervising rigging during the May 2013 general elections.

Also read: Iftikhar Chaudhry sends Rs20 billion libel notice to Imran Khan

This was not the first time Imran had levelled allegations against Chaudhry and Ramday. Last year in August, the PTI chief had named Iftikhar Chaudhry, Khalilur Rehman Ramday, former caretaker chief minister of Punjab Najam Sethi and officials of ECP as having played a role in the alleged rigging of 2013 polls.

In reply, lawyers of Iftikhar Chaudhry had sent a defamation notice worth 20 billion rupees to Imran Khan.

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Good Pakistani Girl

Jul 24, 2015 08:32pm

Very happy that Justic Iftikha Ch. name is cleared now. IK should apologise to you Sir, otherwise he'll pay back in hereafter.

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S. Ullah Swati

Jul 24, 2015 08:59pm

So the reforms needed to make it fair does not exist at the moment, yet we call it fair. A bit of a logic gap for me!

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F Khan

Jul 24, 2015 09:20pm

We did not required a JC to know that there was no mega planned rigging (like 32 punctures) as claimed by Khan Sb.He has no proof of it right from the begining. He is responsible for the dharna and the economical loss to the country. Three things he need to do immediately. Publicly say sorry to the country, fire his close advisers who gave them this ill advised theory of dharna and agitation and work hard in kpk, otherwise 2018 looks impossible.

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ali

Jul 24, 2015 09:35pm

Reform need for future says itself that the election of 2013 was rigged and unfair.

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Pragmatic

Jul 24, 2015 09:37pm

IK succeeded in his mission to sow reasonable doubt in the minds of people about the possibility of wide scale rigging. The lack of trust in our administration and politicians and so called elites, helped in this mission. PTI will maintain the rhetoric by raising doubts on the judges. This rhetoric always works. He'll definitely remain an attractive option for dreamers who think the social evils in political arena and corruption can be wiped off overnight like a slate!

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babar

Jul 24, 2015 10:04pm

Poor IK!! I hope he understands that politics is not cricket and also stops pandering with the religious bigots. They will bring him down just like what they did to Bhutto!!!!

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nadeem

Jul 24, 2015 10:06pm

Imran we never doubted you and will never as you are the only one that we can trust

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M Jamal

Jul 24, 2015 10:36pm

Imran Khan on the ill advised of those sick minds have demoralised the youth of this country by starting an agitation on superficial grounds that finally proved to be flimsy.The youth and the families who participated in the Dharna are dejected and have a feeling of hollowness.Captain you played foul.

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Abid Alu Shah

Jul 24, 2015 10:50pm

@F Khan I felt very much sorry for our thinking why don't we understand these cunning pranks of our politicians, Imran sb atleast gave us the idea that how to our rights. There is no need to sorry from Khan sb.

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SYED HASSAN HASEEB

Jul 24, 2015 11:01pm

IK was correct ,problem was to bring hard and clear proof which could not be brought but I am happy he tried , this is a fight between lies and truth some day common man will come up this is a dream we have . uplift on common man and justice in the society which is a bit difficult.

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israr

Jul 24, 2015 11:07pm

Why electoral reforms are needed If there is no rigging taking place in Pakistan.

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ABC

Jul 24, 2015 11:07pm

Congratulations to all Pakistanis for Iftikhar Chaudhry,s certified free and fair elections.

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Jul 24, 2015 11:10pm

I think Imran grossly overestimated his own appeal in 2013. He hasn't been able to accept the fact that he doesn't cut much ice when it comes to realpolitik. Even if there were some instances of rigging, which there are in every elections, overall it was free and fair. Imran Bhai sahib, yeh electoral politics hai, public can never be taken on face value.

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Jut sayin'

Jul 24, 2015 11:24pm

Please read what he has said carefully. He says that reforms are needed to prevent future false allegations....not to prevent election rigging. The "honorable" gentlemen obviously believes that there's nothing wrong with the election process. And he's right...I mean, c'mon yaar...it's just a little rigging...not large scale!! Thori boti rigging tau khud hee ho jaati heh!

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Abdul Rauf

Jul 24, 2015 11:36pm

Only time will tell who is right and who is wrong

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Shaz Mransn

Jul 25, 2015 12:11am

Shame for both sides, PML(N) for delaying inquiry process and PTI claiming something that (apparently or I should say) does not happened. All grapes from same basket.

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mohammed

Jul 25, 2015 12:31am

look who is saying you need to clear yourself before you say any more on any subject.

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Light

Jul 25, 2015 12:51am

The commission report sounds like "it was unplanned rigging and needs reforms to overcome it"

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Sal

Jul 25, 2015 12:57am

We should have election like in India. Each vote is accounted for.

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Ziaurrehman

Jul 25, 2015 01:06am

Why need for reforms if election has been declared free and fair??

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kmi

Jul 25, 2015 01:22am

ik must be charged for all the losses durring dherna and for missleading the nation

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Mustafa

Jul 25, 2015 01:43am

If Pakistan has corruption in all other facets of life, how could any sane person even think that that the elections can be reasonably free of corruption, election is the mother of all other corruptions.

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Dr.Sadaf

Jul 25, 2015 02:13am

If all of them were so neat and clean then they should have opened the four constituencies as IK was asking from day one and we would have saved ourselves from this circus of proofs.

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MA Mufti

Jul 25, 2015 02:14am

it does not! you still need to answer to the nation on how your son earned his riches

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MA Mufti

Jul 25, 2015 02:15am

@ali good luck ! Isaac Dar has already ruled out electronic machines for next elections.

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Nadeem

Jul 25, 2015 02:33am

Judicial Commission reports means that people of Pakistan still do not deserve to get rid of the wrath of status quo. Inshallah one day the status quo will crumble and new Pakistan will emerge.

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Blue Saffron

Jul 25, 2015 02:36am

I have been thinking about it and conclude that Imran is a good brand. However, he has bad advice and party leadership. He needs change in top people of his party. Additionally, he should not define himself as a provincial personality. In my opinion, Imran is an international personality and should capitalize on it. He needs to rebrand himself with better qualified people. Imran is wasting his talents and letting others define and confine him. I hope his wife can help if no one else.

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Ustaad

Jul 25, 2015 02:40am

@ali Room of improvement always exists in every system .

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Ustaad

Jul 25, 2015 02:40am

@Abdul Rauf Time has already informed.

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Brar

Jul 25, 2015 02:59am

@a yes ur right collect a huge crowd is one thing and converting it in to votes is an other.

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Sher

Jul 25, 2015 03:05am

@Good Pakistani Girl - Imran never put his name in the JC, Ch Iftikhar is NOT clear at all, his involvement cannot be denied.

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Qaiser Ahmed

Jul 25, 2015 03:20am

judicial report that there was no rigging was a foregone conclusion. If any really believes that there was no cheating , rigging ,etc in the last general election needs to open their eyes and smell the roses. This is an election in Pakistan ,we are talking about. IMC, get real ; we all know about you.

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razi

Jul 25, 2015 03:25am

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something." Woodrow Wilson It is not easy. The corruption took roots in decades and you need decades to uproot it.

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Alikhan

Jul 25, 2015 03:27am

It's a public perception that 2013 polls were rigged. Public perception is not changed with JC' s report.

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DVK

Jul 25, 2015 04:10am

Why many persons are saying IK was ill advised? In other words advisors are responsible for whatever happened. Strange! Very strange! IK is not a child. He was riding on wave of crowd pulling idea of rigging and never thought that his actions are undemocratic. Next time people should rethink. Leader is not expected to attack basic pillar of democracynamely process of election. Reforms is continuous process for accuracy authenticity and most importantly transparency.

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Iqbal Khan

Jul 25, 2015 04:49am

IK is still on high ground. What he has served nobody can deny but what damage people like Iftikhar Chaudry or others has rendered to the nation no one can forget. The former has won the hearts of the nation and the later has ruined their trust.

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SMW

Jul 25, 2015 05:14am

No need to apologise Khan sb. This is part of the big game i.e. Match fixing in cricket you know well. Keep trying until you succeed. Get rid of all hypocrites surrounding you. Good luck next time.

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