The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formed a high-level committee to investigate rigging allegations leveled by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha. The accusations have affected the credibility of the recently held Feb 8 elections.
The committee comprising senior election commission officials, including the secretary, special secretary, and additional director general (Law), will record the statements of all returning officers and present a report to the commission within three days.
A decision on any legal action against Chatta — including contempt of ECP — would be taken after analysing the findings of the report.
Chatta had told reporters on Saturday that authorities in Rawalpindi, Punjab province, changed the results of independent candidates – those backed by former prime minister Imran Khan’s party – who were leading with a margin of more than 70,000 votes.
“I take responsibility for the wrong in Rawalpindi. I should be punished for my crimes and other people involved in this crime should be punished,” Chattha was quoted as saying in a report in the Guardian. He accused the chief election commissioner and the chief justice of Pakistan of complicity in the rigging. He was arrested by police after the statement.
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has continued to protest rigging in the national election. According to the Internet tracking organization NetBlocks, Twitter suffered an interruption in services due to the “escalating unrest and protests,” surrounding allegations of election fraud on Saturday.
