Khurshid demands immediate resignation of all ECP members

Dawn News Published May 13, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Following serious allegations of rigging in the 2013 general elections, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly on Tuesday endorsed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's call for the resignation of all members of the Election Commission.

In an informal conversation with reporters at the Parliament House, opposition leader Khurshid Shah said that members should immediately step down after the accusations of rigging by the PTI.

Shah said that he still did not doubt the intentions of Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, but he claimed that the former Chief Election Commissioner failed to conduct the election in a transparent manner.

Related: PTI demands a new ECP

The senior Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader said that the government still had time to bring about reforms in the electoral system, which he said would take almost three years to be implemented.

Shah said that a joint session of the PTI, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and PPP has been called for Wednesday.

Opposition parties will meet tomorrow to work together on proposals for electoral reforms and forward them to the government, he said.

He claimed that the entire nation was demanding electoral reforms and not just the PTI.

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Ganga Din

May 13, 2014 04:13pm

Why don't you step down in protest and go back home? Let's see your guts.

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Ahmed

May 13, 2014 04:18pm

And what about Local Body elections. Already much delayed , another delaying tactics by PPP + PML n ?

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ahmedj

May 13, 2014 04:40pm

Conduct of National and Provincial elections of world's sixth most populated country in one day is humanly impossible and absurd. Apart from technology, one has to think new ways by spreading a single election day to several days or a month, constituency by constituency vote casting until whole election process in the country is over. One can always keep a check on unfair means by various political parties, media and government functionaries. It is better to wait for a fair voting system than imposing an undesirable government for next five years.

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Imran Khushaal Raja

May 13, 2014 04:41pm

Fair elections in a country like Pakistan are impossible. You guys admitted the results and participated in the formation of new government. You spent a whole year doing nothing and now to detract the masses from their genuine issues like load-shedding, unemployment and lawlessness, you are creating this mess. And let me know which "entire nation is demanding electoral reforms"?

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Ali S

May 13, 2014 04:53pm

Topi drama.

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ANWAR SYED

May 13, 2014 05:17pm

ECP- Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Fakhruddin G Ebrahim has failed to deliver, what he suppose to, therefore, he is also guilty of betrayal of trust. He should clear his name if he was not part of any scheme during & after the election. I also agree that all members of ECP should immediate resign and independent investigation should carried out to clear the allegations by Imran Khan.

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umair

May 13, 2014 05:20pm

Electronic voting is the solution. Authorities should work it out for future elections.

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sameer

May 13, 2014 05:28pm

Have you not followed the elections in India? How transparent are the elections? We cannot even imagine here.

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Akram

May 13, 2014 05:32pm

it is time for not just electronic voting, but electronic voter verification using ID cards. When staggered over several days or weeks this will allow much greater scrutiny of voting, and a much fairer election.

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Aamir

May 13, 2014 06:34pm

Good, send the reform suggestions to the government of Nawaz Sharif. They will sit on it for the rest of their term. I mean the 6 months they have left. Revolution is coming.

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Shafiq Khan

May 13, 2014 06:43pm

@ahmedj The election in any country are a touch flawed , even in the united states of America irregularities do occur. Once the election commissioner has spoken a few remain satisfied. In that case the courts are asked to come in. After which the case is closed. In our unfortunate political climate there no closure. Even when the courts have spoken the protagonists go on claiming foul. How can anybody decide these things?

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Imran

May 13, 2014 06:48pm

@Imran Khushaal Raja. You are right in saying that focus should be on resolving people's problems, but you fail to recognise why these issues come up and never get resolved. Answer to this is when corrupt and incapable people come into power, who have no intention and ability to resolve these issues. I would be a happier person if some honest and capable people come into power and resolve all these issues (which you have mentioned) even if i have to wait 10 more years. Because i know that people who are capable, deserving and with good intention will get things right, sooner or later and thats only possible when Elections are fair my brother. I dont mean to harm anyone or any particular party. Its down to people to elect who they want but their votes should reflect the true results, if someone or any particular institution changes the result, that's when you see all these issues come up and never get resolved. As their is saying, first sort out your house then start outside.

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May 13, 2014 06:50pm

Bio matric system voting is only one solution and should be implemented in next election otherwise Pak will remain same as before NO CHGANGE.

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zak

May 13, 2014 06:54pm

a good call-it is for the betterment of the nation. Fairness nd justice starts from the first block -the electoral process.

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Rakaposhi

May 13, 2014 08:55pm

Good move by Khurshid, I hope opposition gets behind this cause a one.

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Bahadur

May 13, 2014 09:55pm

@sameer Still there are accusation against the Election Commissioner by the BJP for bias.Then how it could be fair when one party makes such claims?

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Ishrat salim

May 13, 2014 10:09pm

When Dr TQ proposed such reforms in Dec 13.... Most of the people...intellectuals and literate people were calling him all sorts of names and today same people are accepting that elections reforms is the only solution to bring genuine people to serve people......DR TQ stands vindicated.......

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ismail

May 14, 2014 01:57am

What difference will it make? In Pakistan one corrupt body will leave another more corrupt body will be installed.

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Musarrat Javed

May 14, 2014 01:58am

Who ring election in 1990, same authority has done this again and they will do the same thing in future too. Because no body is going towards that side. It is important now to implement Supreme Court decision on 1990 election rigging. If we cannot do that do not expect any fair election in this Country. Planning is going on to rig next election in favor of Imran Khan. Then PML-N will protest.

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Syed Ahmed

May 14, 2014 05:21am

Clever in deed. The PPP has sensed fall of Nawaz Sharif's government and Mid-term polls around Oct - Nov 3014 therefore supporting PTI in their demands. Next step will be to counter PAT's movement along with PTI and contest Mid-term polls and form government with or without PTI. PML(N) out for good.

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