Salman Akram Raja calls 'rigging' by ROs 'a massive assault on democracy'
Pakistan
Over 100 PTI-backed candidates, who won as per Form 45, complain their mandate was stolen
(Web Desk) – Over a 100 PTI-backed candidates, who won the election as per the Form 45 but were later declared unsuccessful, spoke about electoral irregularities during a press conference covered by both local and foreign media in Islamabad.
Interacting with journalists, senior lawyer Salman Akram Raja who vied for Lahore’s NA-128 seat, alleged that the rigging that occurred during the Feb 8 general elections took place at the office of the returning officer (RO).
“What is the point in holding elections if the results are to be fictitiously created out of the thin air,” he questioned, while asserting, “Usually rigging is done by rival candidates, but these returning officers rigged elections and created fictitious Form 47s. The Form 45s were tampered with.”
Raja also questioned that “if the state officials responsible for safeguarding the election can be won over, then every election to be carried out in Pakistan becomes a farce.”
He described all that happened on election night and Feb 9 as “a massive assault on democracy”.
“If this is not reversed then it spells death for democracy in Pakistan. This was not just an election fraud, it was a wholesale assault on democracy in Pakistan,” declared Raja.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 16, 2024
Speaking with media persons, Ayaz Amir, who contested the election from Chakwal’s NA-58 constituency with the backing of the PTI, said that in his constituency, the one thing done early in the evening was that the office of the returning officer (RO) was sealed.
“The RO’s office was sealed by the police and the ‘caretakers of the caretakers’.”
Ayaz added that he visited the RO office at 6:00 pm on election-day but he was removed between 7:30 pm and 8:00 pm “which means that the RO and other people were there and they could do what they wanted”.
He further said that he was in possession of the original Form 45 obtained from all polling stations in his constituency.
Rehana Dar, PTI-backed candidate from NA-71 and the mother of former PTI leader Usman Dar, said that thousands of brave sons, mothers and daughters supported her in the election. She said that these votes were not for her, but for the PTI founder whom the people of her city (Sialkot) loved.
Rehana also charged her opponent PML-N’s Khawaja Asif with having her house raided. She said that she was not into politics, but was prompted to contest the elections, after the sanctity of her abode was violated.
“Never disrespect a mother,” she said in a comment directed at Khawaja Asif, adding, “If you want, I am ready to contest the election again.”
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 16, 2024
On his turn, PTI leader Khurram Sher Zaman bemoaned what he referred to as “daylight plunder” in Karachi, alleging that seats were dished out to the MQM-P.
Zaman said that as per the Form 45, the PTI won 19 National Assembly seats in Karachi and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) bagged the second highest number of votes.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 16, 2024
Earlier, a presentation about alleged rigging in the general elections was given by PTI leader Shandana Gulzar.
She told the press conference that the PTI bagged 1.25 million votes in Karachi but did not win a single seat. Similarly, she added, the JI was polled 700,000 votes but it did not emerge victorious on a single seat either.
In Punjab, Gulzar said, the PTI clinched 13.6 million votes but won only 55 seats. “Isn’t this a joke with the people of Pakistan,” she questioned.
Sharing some graphics on a large multimedia screen, Gulzar said that the PTI won 154 seats in the National Assembly by 3:00 am on Feb 9. She added that the PML-N and PPP had won 47 each at the time.
She said the PTI was winning 42 seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but was given 37 as some seats were stolen.
From Islamabad, Gulzar said, the PTI was winning all three seats but these were also stolen.
In Punjab, she added, the PTI was winning in 115 constituencies, but was given 55 seats.
In Balochistan, Gulzar said, the PTI was winning in four constituencies but was given just one seat.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 16, 2024
