Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab chapter president Ejaz Chaudhary has said a hunger strike camp will be set up on Saturday in front of the Punjab Assembly to protest against rigging in by-elections by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“We have proof of rigging by the office bearers of PML-N to grab the PP-150 seat in the city,” Chaudhary told a press conference.
Chaudhary was at sessions court for filing a recounting application for PP-150 which was rejected by the returning officer.
Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rashid said the camp would continue till PML-N surrenders PP-150 seat.
Chaudahry said PML-N had resorted to rigging in general elections but in the by-polls the Punjab government’s officials were openly serving the party.
Officials posted at polling stations allowed casting of fake votes and gave results to unauthorised persons to rig elections, Chaudhary claimed.
He said that instead of government officials, private persons deposited the official results of 40 polling stations in the constituency at the office of returning officer which were not authenticated.
The PTI provincial chief alleged that some presiding officers did repeat cuttings on the total number of cast votes to support the PML-N candidates.
He claimed that in Saidpur polling station, the presiding officer (PO) added 100 votes to enhance the total number of PML-N candidate’s votes as PTI candidate Mehar Wajid secured 124 and PML-N secured only 75.
Cutting on Form 14, reserved for official results, was done by the PO in many polling stations, Chaudhary alleged.
It was on record that a presiding officer from one polling station submitted two results, he said. “The PML-N has compromised the sanctity of the vote and democratic values through its shameful act of rigging,” he said in an emotionally charged voice.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2013.