PESHAWAR: Adviser to the chief minister on accountability, retired Brigadier Mohammad Musaddiq Abbasi, on Wednesday claimed that the leaked Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) report had recommended clear demarcation of authority between civil and military authorities in line with the Constitution along with an independent judiciary to help democracy flourish in Pakistan.

Mr Abbasi told a news conference here that the report also called for new rules of engagement for state institutions, including the military, to end political manipulation and ensure independence of democratic institutions.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has already urged the foreign observers mission to release its report about the Feb 8, 2024 elections in Pakistan, following claims by the independent news outlet Drop Site News that the COG had “buried” the report after finding the general elections to be riddled with problems.

Mr Abbasi insisted that according to the leaked COG report, the Official Secret Act was changed after May 9 and that, too, retrospectively to validate the “illegal act of civilian trial in military courts as well as the trial of PTI founder Imran Khan in the cypher case”.

Abbasi claims leaked report also calls for independent judiciary in Pakistan

He said the report also noted that people were picked up, houses were raided, PTI offices were closed, basic human rights were violated and PTI was not provided with a level-playing field during the Feb 8 polls, with fundraising being blocked and political gatherings banned.

“Imran Khan was sentenced multiple times to keep him out of the elections and the law was used as an organised weapon,” he quoted the COG report as claiming.

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The aide to the CM said the report also raised questions about the lifting of a life ban on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from parliament due to his disqualification by courts as well as the denial of the election symbol to the PTI.

He added that the COG report observed that Pemra laws were changed to victimise individuals, while journalists were murdered but no efforts were made to bring the accused to task.

“Internet was shut down on the election day and when the Election Commission of Pakistan was asked about it, it insisted that the matter was beyond its authority,” he quoted the report as noting.

Mr Abbasi also said the report declared the objective of the internet blackout to be the manipulation of election results by changing the relevant Forms 45, 46 and 47.

He said the COG report pointed out that the forms provided to the polling agents about election results were different from those uploaded on the ECP’s website and that the Election Act was changed to appoint retired judges and reverse the Supreme Court’s decisions.

“All this was done to keep one political party out of elections, so their credibility and transparency was zero,” the adviser quoted the report as declaring.

He said that according to the COG report, the “security system” had always been given priority over democratic institutions in Pakistan.

Mr Abbasi also said the anti-corruption establishment launched inquiries into the “misconduct” of presiding officers that were later dismissed by ECP, while the presiding officer was accused of forging Form-45 in the provincial assembly constituencies 79 and 82, with the act later confirmed by two presiding officers.

“The statements were recorded and the misconduct was established afterward. Under the law, that crime has to be punished,” he said.

The aide to the CM said that the law allowed the ACE to carry out inquiries.

He insisted that legal proceedings couldn’t be set aside on administrative orders and that the law department would deliberate the matter.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025