LAHORE: The PML-N has announced to initiate legal action against any individual, including officials, found involved in rigging in any form.

“The party’s anti-rigging system (ARS) will expose and prevent any attempt at rigging the July 25 elections,” PML-N central media committee chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed told a news conference here on Monday.

He said the ASR would name those involved in illegal activities. A national conference of social media activists and chief polling agents would be held on July 19 in Lahore that would include a training programme for the agents from all constituencies that PML-N candidates were contesting.

Anti-rigging system to name those involved in illegal activities

The senator said the system would provide a link among candidates, constituencies, legal aid committees, social media teams and election observers. In addition to the PML-N, other political parties, including the PPP, had complained of attempts at rigging, “interference, intimidation, manipulation, political engineering, harassment, nepotism and favouritism through abuse of office and undue official influence”.

“All these actions are a blatant violation of the code of conduct of the election commission and election laws and those officials who indulged in such malpractices are willfully violating their oath of office. Such negative practices undermine a free, fair and transparent electoral process,” Mr Mushahid said.

He further alleged that the PML-N was being targeted “through a systematic effort to block PML-N’s legitimate political activities during the election period. During the Friday rally, 130 cases have been registered against 16,868 PML-N workers”. He also said Nawaz Sharif was facing a trial in jail which was unprecedented for political leaders.

“According to law, Mr Sharif should be tried in open court. Only high profile terrorists are tried in jails,” he added.

Mr Mushahid also invited political workers, civil society organisations, media, human rights groups and all democratic forces to join hands with the PML-N in promoting the cause of rigging-free elections so that the sanctity of ballot was preserved and protected.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2018