Imran Khan accepts findings of judicial commission report

Published July 23, 2015
Imran expressed his displeasure that the report has been handed over to the incumbent government. —File
Imran expressed his displeasure that the report has been handed over to the incumbent government. —File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan accepted the findings of the judicial commission report but expressed reservations over not being given a copy.

Read: JC finds 2013 elections 'fair and in accordance with law'

“We have not seen the report yet, if we had, I would have been in a better position to comment on the report,” said Imran Khan while addressing a press conference in Chitral. “We will comment on the report tomorrow after reading it.”

The judicial commission was formed on PTI's request to probe rigging allegations during the 2013 polls.

Imran said PTI was the only political party which brought proof of rigging, while the other 21 parties — which also admitted the elections were rigged — agreed with the party's point of view.

“But PTI was the only political party which fought the case against alleged rigging,” claimed the PTI chief.

Earlier Imran Khan had demanded a copy of Judicial Commission's report. The report was released last night but has yet to be handed over to PTI. However, a copy of the complete report has now been made available on the law ministry website.

Read: PML-N claims commission has rejected PTI charges

Imran expressed his displeasure through Twitter. The report has been handed over to the incumbent government.

Meanwhile, PTI General Secretary Jehangir Khan Tareen, while talking to DawnNews today, has expressed reservations against the claims made by the ruling party leaders.

Tareen had said that the leaders were at a point of advantage and should not have issued any statements before the details of the report were made public.

The three-judge commission, headed by Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, had held 39 sittings and completed the hearing on July 3.

The commission — constituted under a presidential ordinance on April 3 after months of a tug of war between the PTI and the PML-N — had commenced proceedings on April 9. It recorded testimonies of 69 witnesses, including politicians, government and judicial officers and journalists.

The ordinance expected the commission to submit its findings to the government as soon as possible, preferably within 45 days of its first meeting.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan were the two other judges in the commission, which was constituted as a result of a memorandum of understanding signed between the PML-N and the PTI.

The PTI had staged a 126-day sit-in in Islamabad last year to press for its demand for a judicial inquiry into the rigging allegations.

According to the terms of reference (ToR), the commission was to investigate whether the elections were manipulated or influenced in a systematic manner or by design by anyone, or not. It was also to decide whether the poll results, on an overall basis, were a true and fair reflection of the mandate given by the electorate or not.

Prime minister to address nation today

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the nation today, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Office. The premier is expected to take it into confidence over the findings of the Judicial Commission which was formed to probe rigging allegations during the 2013 polls.

Prime Minister House had received the report of Judicial Commission on the alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections following which the premier summoned his legal team for a briefing on the report.

The spokesman of Prime Minister House had earlier said the team will brief the Prime Minister on the report and subsequently the report will be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Law.

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