PTI cries foul over GB polls

E-Paper | June 08, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) alleged on Saturday that the victory of PML-N in recent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan was a result of massive rigging and announced that it would challenge before the tribunals concerned the results of various constituencies.

Speaking at a news conference here on Saturday, PTI’s central organiser Jahangir Tareen said that PML-N had made its victory possible through pre-poll and polling-day rigging with the interference of the federal government and its representatives.

He particularly mentioned a constituency in Skardu where PTI’s candidate Raja Jalal was first declared successful and later the decision was changed after a number of vote recounts.

The PTI leader claimed that the nation had already come to know about proofs of rigging in the 2013 general elections.

He said the record presented by the returning officers before an inquiry commission had created doubts.

He alleged that the Election Commission had not provided complete details about the vote account forms during the inquiry.

Mr Tareen said in reply to a question that PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari should retract his recent statement against the armed forces.

He said it was due to the “inappropriate” remarks that his party had decided not to attend an Iftar-dinner hosted by the PPP leader on Friday.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2015

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NASAH (USA)

Jun 21, 2015 07:25am

Wherever PTI wins the election is NOT rigged -- wherever Imran loses election is rigged, folks -- army or no army.

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NASAH (USA)

Jun 21, 2015 07:26am

It's getting so tiring.

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Manzoor

Jun 21, 2015 07:42am

Is'nt this person himself blamed for rigging in his own party by an independent judge appointed by his own party chairman. How long can PTI hide behind the rigging mantra and waste people's time and energy.

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Omair

Jun 21, 2015 07:56am

Oh please!! PTI AGAIN!! PMLN won fair and square. So what if there was a recount!! By the way PTI should appreciate that the call for recount was done within the same day. No delays!! No going to ECP. No dharna. No stay order.

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Rehan

Jun 21, 2015 08:05am

This PTI has become the biggest joke of the country. All they have in mind is rigging there for they rigged their own LB election in KP/.

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jiyala

Jun 21, 2015 08:17am

And there you go again PTI crying foul about the elections they lost in. Sigh.

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Iqbal Khan

Jun 21, 2015 08:22am

PTI is struggling hard to bring in some practical reforms and make people politically aware about how these status quo parties have been doing rigging, for example before nobody knew how these parties were declared their elections won, now it is because of PTI everyone knows about the number of ballot papers, quality of ink, form 15, ROs and Presiding officers' duties, pre and post election rigging. All these are terminologies people have come across through media and PTIs vehement campaign. It is believed a time is not far when all parties would be inclined to accept a fair system of election and governance for the betterment of political culture and governance.

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zjc

Jun 21, 2015 08:35am

Everywhere where pti looses, it's 'unfair' election.

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malick

Jun 21, 2015 08:45am

Time is essential to straighten deteriorated system.

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Imtiaz

Jun 21, 2015 09:23am

RIGHT

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Lakhkar Khan

Jun 21, 2015 09:24am

It is time for the people of Pukhtunkhwa to show PTI the exit door. We no longer need or want these drama queens of elite. It will be interesting to see how well they do in the next election without rigging it.

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anwar saeed

Jun 21, 2015 09:27am

Let us start all over again. New election in the country under the supervision of Pak. Army. I am sure this time results will be different then the past.

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Truth

Jun 21, 2015 10:04am

Our political parties have no moral values, no democratic norms, so the dirty tactics of poll rigging continue, though these are becoming even more subtle and sophisticated. Take the case of GB. PMLN starts with appointing its own governor (months before the election), appoints 10 or perhaps 12 ministers supportive of PMLN (instead of normal 5-6 ministers), manages to appoint its own favorite Election Commissioner GB, announces Rs. 7 billion development package after the announcement of election schedule and near the elections date and so own. This was highlighted by PTI before GB polls, and by PPP at a later stage. So what else is called election pre-poll rigging?

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Abbas Ali

Jun 21, 2015 10:07am

@anwar saeed army rigged elections. Remember IJI.

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Jun 21, 2015 10:16am

@Iqbal Khan Well said. It is PTI which has brought awareness regarding rigging (and election rigging techniques - now becoming even more subtle and sophisticated). But most of our politicians are hell bent to win the elections (because it give huge monetary and prestige rewards to the winners) - by hook or by crook. ECP has become complicit in it and no one is ready to remedy the situation. Remember what has been done by the Electoral Reforms Committee of the National Assembly- so far nothing. Why can't we adopt electronic voting machines for elections (as in India) / bio-metric verification but our politicians and, at their behest, the ECP do not want to change the system. Looks unless there is a major upheaval, the present messed up election system is not going to change.

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Jun 21, 2015 10:19am

@anwar saeed Under supervision of army / rangers and use of bio-metric system, as done for sim verification.

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proud-winner

Jun 21, 2015 10:34am

We all know through countless proofs now yaayyyyyy the 2013 general election was massively rigged by PML and Nawaz sharif. His spurts are, and continue to be blind. Such a shame. They will only realize once they also stay experiencing load shedding like the rest of the country.

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zafar

Jun 21, 2015 10:38am

This PMLN government does not learn - Latoon kay shoot baton say nah maante. It will keep playing its games until they are taken to task for their crimes!

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zafar

Jun 21, 2015 10:39am

@Manzoor You better answer to the cases of massive rigging against PMLN before you start interfering in internal party matter of PTI.

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zafar

Jun 21, 2015 10:42am

Looks like according to the PMLN walas, if PMLN was running for an election in the US and allowed to go about its games, their victory would be justified. What has PMLN got to do with Gilgit and its politics. Where were they in GB elections just 5 years ago?

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Syed

Jun 21, 2015 10:42am

Look who is talking. PTI should at least have picked up some one else to allege pre poll and poll day rigging.

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Kaleem Ullah

Jun 21, 2015 11:10am

@zafar Great logic, so PTI was nowhere in 2008 elections, How they managed to secure 76 lac votes just after 5 years. PPP's exit door and CPEC has paved success, plus You need to understand how politics work in that part of country.

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bumphoo

Jun 21, 2015 11:35am

The real issue here is failure of the state to uphold clean elections. The process is not transparent , and as long as there is doubt the whole system will be nothing but shame. Like a murder trial as long as there is reasonable doubt it matters. Socrates had questions about ' will' of people, imagine the consequences of Will tampered by powerful particularly business classes.

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Khan

Jun 21, 2015 12:01pm

PML-N has always shown empathy for the losers. PTI cant bear the agony of defeat so they go haywire. I personaly expected much positive politics from PTI.

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Tariq Abdullah

Jun 21, 2015 12:09pm

Very interesting. Let them first answer to their own tribunal about their elections. By the way Mr. Tareen has been implicated for rigging of PTI elections. Please make your name clear from your own party first and then point finger to others.

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Azad Khial

Jun 21, 2015 12:21pm

@TRUTH A legally appointed governor announcing a development package does not appear to constitute "pre-poll" rigging. In fact people voting for whomever they think will improve their lives is the soul of the democratic process.

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Asif

Jun 21, 2015 12:22pm

I am a PTI supporter, but I truely think people like Janhangir Tareen, Shreen Mazarin, Sheikh Rasheed and last but not least, Shah Mehmood should be asked to leave. Mr IK, you need to understand that people like me are loosing faith on you fast. Can anyone tell me what have Mr, Asad Omer done for Islamabad since he became MNA? What's done in KPK, where are those small 300 something dames gone? What contribution Mr. Khatak has made till now?

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Jun 21, 2015 12:25pm

@Truth In fact the development package was worth Rs. 47 billion - a staggering number.

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Finding Fault

Jun 21, 2015 12:55pm

@Asif Jahangir Tareen, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Khattak, Shireen Mazari are not the issues, the issue is the guy who promotes them. If Nawaz Sharif employs wrong people at important positions, it's not their fault, it's the PMs fault. If the PCB selects the wrong coach/captain/officials, it is not their fault, it is the fault of the people who put them there.

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javed Hasrat

Jun 21, 2015 02:32pm

being a resident of GB i mention here that 90% folks of GB hated PMLN, but due to vast & wide rigging PMLN got their 16 seats. Governor as well as take care government already placed by PMLN only for rigging in this region.

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Tariq Amir

Jun 21, 2015 03:41pm

@anwar saeed Elections in GB were conducted under the supervision of Army. I have better idea, there is no need of elections, simply give the government to PTI. Because they will never win elections in Pakistan and will never accept their defeat.

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Tariq Amir

Jun 21, 2015 03:45pm

@Asif If IK accept your proposal, who will be left in the party. I too for sometime hoped that IK is a good addition in politics. But soon realized that he is just a distraction and trouble maker. He has no vision, no understanding and no capacity for anything good or positive. He is just trying to play with the emotions of the people.

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Iqbal Khan

Jun 21, 2015 04:34pm

@NASAH (USA) Be patient and steadfast. The target is long away

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Gul Pasha

Jun 21, 2015 05:59pm

most easy way to survive in politics in Pakistan, never accept election defeat.

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Zeeshan Ali

Jun 21, 2015 06:33pm

@javed Hasrat how do u know that 90% of people in GB hated PMLn. Do u personally know 90% of the population. I voted PMLn.

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Jun 21, 2015 08:37pm

Why is it that whenever and where ever PTI lose they cry 'foul'? Is it written somewhere that they are always going to win. They should learn how to lose gracefully.

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Abu Maysoon

Jun 21, 2015 09:24pm

I am inclined to believe him. Because, based on the revelations in the Judicial Commission's hearings and the news reports about them, PTI stands vindicated regarding its claims of rigging in 2013 elections.

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Abu Maysoon

Jun 21, 2015 09:38pm

When PPP had the government, they clean-sweeped GB and now PML-N has done it. Knowing how these results came about is no rocket science.

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Abu Maysoon

Jun 21, 2015 09:44pm

@Rehan Well, isn't it due to PTI's nagging persistence about rigging that the electoral process is unraveling before the Judicial Commission?

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Syed Yousaf

Jun 22, 2015 01:15am

PTI should refrain from ever crying foul as this was the most peaceful and transparent election. Please do not insult the people choice if PTI believes in democracy

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Shahid

Jun 22, 2015 05:03am

Regardless of what Jahagir says there is one thing to be investigated; While only sitting government wins in GB then either (i) it is due to rigging (ii) or the people of GB only vote for those who are in power. To a lay man the first option appeals much more.

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Muhammad usman

Jun 22, 2015 06:05am

He is the most corrupt man in PTI . He could not win on his seat in elections and now he is trying every effort to annul the election and make re-election.

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