The PTI on Sunday demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the rigging allegations made by the former Rawalpindi commissioner.
Additional controversy engulfed the February 8 elections as Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha leveled accusations against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, alleging their involvement in electoral manipulation. These claims were swiftly refuted by both the electoral watchdog and the Chief Justice, intensifying the ongoing dispute surrounding the election.
Chattha’s allegations surfaced nearly a week post-elections, coinciding with the initiation of a nationwide anti-rigging campaign by political parties, including the PTI, alleging widespread electoral fraud.
Initially scheduled to discuss Pakistan Super League (PSL) arrangements, Chattha diverted from the agenda during an impromptu interaction with journalists at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. He claimed to disclose information about election irregularities driven by his conscience, accusing CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of complicity in the alleged rigging scheme.
Chattha took responsibility for overseeing the manipulation of results in 13 National Assembly constituencies across six districts of Rawalpindi Division, resigning as a consequence. He alleged that losing candidates were manipulated into winning, and the process to legitimize these manipulated results was ongoing in certain offices.
Both the Chief Justice and the ECP swiftly dismissed these allegations, clarifying the limited role of the Supreme Court in electoral matters.
In a subsequent press conference in Islamabad, PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan reiterated the party’s commitment to fair elections and highlighted the significant voter turnout in response to Imran Khan’s call on February 8. Khan claimed the PTI secured 180 seats in the National Assembly, distributed across various provinces.
