ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has rejected a report of the Free and Fair Election Network on the election in his NA-122 constituency and has written to the poll inquiry commission seeking appropriate action in this regard.

In his letter, the speaker rejected the claims of Fafen Chief Executive Mudassir Rizvi that more than the registered number of votes had been cast in two polling stations of the constituency — PS-38 at Lahore College for Women and PS-216 at MC Junior Model School.

Also read: Fafen sees irregularities in LG polls

Mr Sadiq informed the commission investigating allegations of rigging and malpractices in the 2013 general elections that in both polling stations his rival candidate, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, had won the election.

According to the polling scheme and Form-16 of the two polling stations attested by the Election Commission, he said, the number of registered voters were 1,493 in PS-83 and 1,144 in PS-216 and total of 830 and 576 votes were polled, respectively, with the percentage of 55.59 and 50.34.

“These figures clearly indicate that that the claim made by the Fafen chief was misleading, false, erroneous and indeed malicious,” the speaker said.

The letter referred to a May 13, 2013, TV programme in which Mr Rizvi claimed that his organisation had found that more than 170.88 and 192pc votes in excess of the registered number of votes polled in PS-216 and PS-83 polling stations, respectively, of NA-122 Lahore-V constituency.

The speaker said the statement by Mr Rizvi and his report formed the basis of the election petition filed by Imran Khan against him.

He said that when this error was pointed out to Mr Rizvi in a telephonic conversation soon after the elections, the Fafen chief not only admitted this mistake but also informed him (the speaker) that his organisation had already issued a press release admitting the fault and withdrawing its observation.

“This blatant fault on part of Fafen caused immense damage to my personal repute, besides bringing the entire election into question and facilitating my opponent to challenge the election in the court,” Mr Sadiq said.

The speaker said Fafen had later removed the report from its official website. Subsequently, a complete report was published in January last year in which the portion pertaining to NA-122 did not bear any reference or allegation, whatsoever, regarding “over-voting” at any polling station in the constituency. “This is further proof of Fafen’s gross misconduct,” he said.

Mr Sadiq said it was clear that in his statement before the commission, Mr Rizvi blatantly concealed facts, twisted them and tried to malign him further.

When contacted, Fafen chief Mudassir Rizvi said the ECP had changed the polling scheme at the eleventh hour and in some cases two or three polling stations were merged. Fafen prepared the report on the basis of original election plan of polling stations, he added.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2015

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