LAHORE, Jan 14: The chief election commissioner on Tuesday postponed the by-elections in PP-147 for an indefinite period on a complaint about embezzlement of 5,000 ballot papers and ordered the Lahore district returning officer (DRO) to investigate the allegation.

The DRO has directed the chief security officer of the Punjab Printing Press and the Gujranwala assistant election commissioner — who are supervising the printing and transportation of ballot papers for by-elections — to appear before him on Wednesday (today).

Eight officials, including the returning officer and the assistant returning officer for PP-147 and three officials of Punjab Printing Press, recorded their statements before the DRO during two-hour-long in-camera proceedings on Tuesday.

MMA candidate Ameerul Azeem had alleged in his complaint to the CEC that some 130,000 ballot papers had been printed for PP-147 but only 125,000 dispatched to the returning officer.

He further alleged that the ballot papers had been embezzled by PML-Q candidate Abdul Aleem Khan in connivance with the provincial election commissioner and Punjab Printing Press officials. The CEC was requested to take suo moto notice of the alleged embezzlement.

The DRO would report his findings to the secretary for Election Commission.

Meanwhile, Punjab Agriculture Minister Arshad Khan Lodhi has claimed that retuning officer’s staff are involved in the ballet paper embezzlement.

Speaking at a a press conference on Tuesday night, he said the ballet papers had been delivered to the RO office on Jan 10 where some political parties with the connivance of government employees removed them.

He said those responsible would not escape punishment. He said the chief election commissioner had already ordered an inquiry into the matter.

He criticized MMA candidate Ameerul Azeem for his negative propaganda against the PML-Q. “The MMA is trying to sabotage the democratic process.”

PML-Q’s PP-147 candidate Abdul Aleem Khan said that he was utterly disappointed over the postponement.