LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Election Commission has taken an exception to irregularities in the party membership campaign, including fake membership by workers and leaders by using a number of mobile SIMs.

An election commission meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Tasneem Noorani, at chairman’s secretariat on Saturday, said any irregularity or “rigging” would not be tolerated in the intra-party elections.

Mr Noorani said the commission was receiving complaints that people were using up to five SIMs on one identity card to create five votes. He said the commission was preparing a list of voters and would verify independently in the light of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s voters’ list.

He said the new members’ verification would also be made through different ways, including direct calls.

“Those numbers found switched off continuously would be blocked,” Mr Noorani said and added that the commission was also devising different technical ways to check the veracity of the membership.

Mr Noorani said the commission had decided that those found guilty of making fake members would facing punishments, including ineligibility to contest the intra-party election, refusal of party ticket for elections or termination of party membership.

PTI Punjab Election Commissioner retired Col Ijaz Minhas and other members were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2016