Judicial commission posits three questions to political parties

Abdul Shakoor KhanApril 27, 2015

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The questionnaire was sent out to ask three main questions about the 2013 general elections. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The judicial commission constituted to investigate malpractices in the 2013 general elections presented a questionnaire to political parties asking them to submit responses on alleged poll rigging by April 29.

Chairing the meeting of the commission today, Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk said the terms and conditions for the commission were clear but replies of most political parties were not in accordance with the terms of references.

During the commission's ongoing investigation, the questionnaire was sent out to ask three main questions about the 2013 general elections. Each question had a further sub-question to ensure clarity in responses.

The questionnaire asked whether the 2013 elections were carried out in an honest and impartial manner. It directed parties to submit supporting material and present eye-witnesses in the event of a no.

The questionnaire also inquired whether or not the elections were manipulated in a "systematic" manner and the identity of those who may have designed and planned it.

A copy of the questionnaire. - DawnNews

In relation to the systematic procedure, the questionnaire further asked whether rigging was carried out in national constituencies or national and provincial. It also asked if alleged rigging was carried out in a certain province or all four provinces.

The questionnaire will enable political parties to answer the commission's questions regarding electoral rigging clearly. The commission also asked political parties to submit material and name witnesses to support their allegations and responses in the questionnaire.

Read: SC forms commission to probe alleged poll rigging

The commission was formed earlier this month, following the Ordinance issued by President Mamnoon Hussain to proceed with the formation of a judicial commission which would investigate allegations of poll rigging, a demand made by PTI during the party's 126-day-long sit-in in Islamabad last year.

According to a signed agreement, the judicial commission will investigate the matter preferably within 45 days of its making.

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Comments (19) Closed

Zia Taqdees

Apr 27, 2015 03:53pm

Appreciate Judicial Commission initiative to establish solid FIR for investigation right way.

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Shazad

Apr 27, 2015 04:48pm

JC is taking right approach but can political parties provide the proof. Our politician love the blame-game without knowing how it will harm the system and nation. They accuse each other without having any concrete proof and kept making this nation fool for last seven decades. JC or some other commission should disqualify those politician who made false claim and hijacked nation and cause huge financial loses to our economy.

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Dilawar Khan

Apr 27, 2015 05:15pm

no less a push back..........

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Zaheer

Apr 27, 2015 05:29pm

This will be response from judiciary commision. "Electios 2013 were not rigged by any systematic ways. But a lot of malpractices, individual level, have been found especially in constituencies pointed out by different parties. It is responsibilty of government/ parliment to decide whether they would like to go for new elections in these consituencies or not. "

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Dr. Abid Shah Mashwani

Apr 27, 2015 05:56pm

This is a very vital exercise in this investigations, and hope JC is collecting evidence and not conducting a political parties vote! Since majority political parties cried 2013 election as foul but they believe let them and us complete 5 years looting spree. Hope JC will conduct it's inquiry even if one party or individual provide them with credible evidence of rigging and systematic manipulations.

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altaf

Apr 27, 2015 06:06pm

Thanks IK we want biometric for next elections and overseas pakistanis should be allowed to vote!!!

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Haroon

Apr 27, 2015 06:23pm

Is it the duty of political parties to prove any wrong doings? The can provide evidence but it is the commission and the agencies which have to investigate and find proof.

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Noman

Apr 27, 2015 07:16pm

So political parties who were involved in rigging will now provide evidence of how they rigged.

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Karim Ahmad

Apr 27, 2015 08:01pm

The notion that Imran Khan insisted to put in the word "systematic" in the TORs to let the commission give a decision against IK which he will accept - he said he will - and thus everybody will forget the dharna and people of pakistan can go on living a miserable life as it was before - getting more and more visible! The whole pakistani media and politicians are part of a grande "Time Pass" conspiracy to show the world that we are here and not that inactive that anyone can bulldoze us like libya/iraq etc. But the facts aside - some elements in media and politics give the nation a certain "Hope" - as artifical it may be.

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Malveros

Apr 27, 2015 08:58pm

@altaf Biometric is extremely error prone.

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imran

Apr 27, 2015 09:34pm

JC is clearly not impress by the truck load of garbage submitted by some parties. It will be interesting to see weather IK will provide names of those who he has been naming day in and day out from the container or will beat about the bush as usual. let me remind IK who he alleged of systematic rigging. Other interesting answer will be, will the ruling parties in each province claim that NA election and the PS election held simultaneously were clean in their provinces respectively, but were rigged in other provinces.

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Syed H Imran

Apr 27, 2015 09:38pm

@Malveros how did you reach that conclusion biometric involves not only ginger prints but IRIS. And Iris recognition and definition is at least as reliable as DNA. we should be sure of what we say and supported by evidence

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ARSHAD JAMIL

Apr 27, 2015 09:50pm

@Noman : You are very right. The political parties, who rigged the elections, will provide a copy of their detailed plan of rigging plus all other evidence and witnesses to collaborate, to make it fool proof for the commission to understand, that there was rigging. The Judicial commission must realize, that it is the highest body, and they have a greater responsibility, than any ordinary investigator of trying to get witnesses. It is not so much about solid proof of rigging, but about the perception of rigging in the minds of the population. They want solid evidence, that rigging was not done.

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Pakistan First

Apr 27, 2015 09:58pm

I don't see anything out of this JC, Judges are NOT going to make a JIT, open the boxes and look these bogus votes, which were put in by ROs, Presiding Officers, others on the secret orders of some hidden hands.

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Yaqoob

Apr 27, 2015 11:29pm

Proof is in the ballot boxes. Why is he wasting nation time by these gimmicks. Does he not know that they were rigged.

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ali

Apr 28, 2015 01:33am

So where is the 35 punture audio tape and solid evidences. All that I have heard till date is hearsay stories, that carry no legsl weight. IK tried to create hype out of lies and stories to pressurize a popular govt to resign. But glad that didnt work and he should now give solid evidence or be banned from holding public officr for life.

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Ihsan

Apr 28, 2015 01:54am

Khan Sahib is not used to answer any logical question...as he thinks there is a rigging..so why JC is asking so many complicated questions

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Salman Khan

Apr 28, 2015 02:24am

@Yaqoob This is the history of the country: every time someone looses an election, they cry rigging. No one ever accepts that they lost due to people not voting for them or their own incompetence. It is always rigging

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Yas

Apr 28, 2015 03:33am

@Shazad brother I think this questionnaire will either stem out the blame game or for once make it clear that 2013 elections were rigged and engineered in favour of one party.

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