LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of a viral video purportedly showing persons, who can be seen in the videos, distributing cash “for getting on-oath pledges from voters to cast votes” in their favour ahead of NA-133 by-poll in Lahore.
یہ ہے مسلم لیگ ن کی جمہوریت اور ووٹ کو عزت دینا۔ یہ بے شرم ٹولا ہے جس نے ہر صورت دو نمبری کرنی ہے pic.twitter.com/eqSsijCLlM
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) November 27, 2021
The by-elections in the constituency, which has been devoid of representation in the National Assembly after the demise of PML-N Lahore chapter’s central leader Pervez Malik, are scheduled to be held on December 5.
On Sunday, the returning officer wrote separate letters to the Punjab Police chief, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Lahore commissioner, seeking more information about the persons seen in the video clips.
The ECP has directed the authorities concerned to conduct forensic of the viral footage, ascertain the identity and collect complete bio data of the suspects. The letter also directed the police to identify the people visible in the footage and arrest them
In the letters, the ECP also directed the authorities to submit the inquiry report by November 30. It also directed the officials to identify the place where money was allegedly being distributed to buy votes.
PPP, PML-N trade blame
The leaked video triggered a war of words among opposition and ruling party with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) accusing Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of buying loyalties of their voters.
In a video message shared from the PML-N’s official Twitter account, MNA Ali Pervez Malik accused the PPP of running a campaign featuring a fake video in which “all the characters are wearing masks to hide their faces.”
The PML-N MNA appealed to the PPP leadership to take notice of the “antics by their party workers in the NA-133 constituency”, adding that he had also complained to the RO about the issue.
ایم این اے علی پرویز ملک کی #NA133 میں مخالف پارٹی کی جانب سے ووٹ خریدنے کی اور جھوٹا پروپیگینڈا کرنے کی مذمت pic.twitter.com/6AKetlrh40
— PML(N) (@pmln_org) November 28, 2021
For his part, PPP central Punjab’s general secretary Syed Hasan Murtaza hit back at PML-N, saying “the PML-N is paying respect to money instead of vote in NA-133 elections”.
He added that his party will compete with PML-N in the by-poll through “its ideology instead of using money”.
پارلیمانی لیڈر و جنرل سیکرٹری پیپلزپارٹی وسطی پنجاب سید حسن مرتضی کا ویڈیو بیان
مسلم لیگ ن این اے 133 ضمنی الیکشن میں ووٹ کی بجائے نوٹ کو عزت دلوا رہی ہے٬ حسن مرتضی
ن لیگ چھانگا مانگا کی سیاست سے باز نہیں آ سکتی٬ حسن مرتضی@S_HassanMurtaza pic.twitter.com/d1CieNmvz5
— PPP Punjab (@PPPPunjab_SM) November 28, 2021
Meanwhile, the ruling PTI, whose candidate and returned candidate were both disqualified by the ECP last month for having their votes registered in a different constituency, also accused the PML-N of attempting to buy votes.
PTI’s Senator Ejaz Chaudhry said that the video clips had exposed the “true face” of the PML-N. “This is why they [PML-N] are against EVMs (electronic voting machines),” he added.
ن لیگ کا اصل چہرہ بے نقاب۔
لاہور NA 133 الیکشن میں خواتین کو قرآن پاک پر حلف لے کر ووٹ کے بدلے پیسے دیے جا رہے ہیں اسی وجہ سے یہ EVM مشین کے خلاف ہیں۔@PTIofficial pic.twitter.com/8bBNAAVGg5— Senator Ejaz Chaudhary (@EjazChaudhary) November 27, 2021
Earlier this month, the ECP had said that no proposal was under consideration to postpone the NA-133, Lahore by-election. An ECP spokesperson said in a statement that the by-election would be held in NA-133 on December 5, as per schedule.
However, “if the situation changes, the ECP may take further action in this regard”, he concluded. The Punjab Home Department had written a letter to the ECP for the postponement of NA-133 by-election, citing security situation as the reason.
