Pakistan Election Commission forms committee to probe Rawalpindi commissioner's rigging allegations

The ECP's decision comes after Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta on Saturday resigned from his post in protest against electoral irregularities, particularly rigging, The News International reported.

In a press release on Saturday, the ECP said the high-level committee will include senior election commission officials, including the secretary, special secretary, and additional director general law.

The ECP further said that the committee will record the statements of returning officers and district returning officers and submit a report to the commission within three days, according to Dawn report.

Pakistan's electoral watchdog said that a decision on whether any legal action, including contempt of ECP, will be taken against the Rawalpindi commissioner will be made after reviewing the findings of the report.

According to the statement, officials of the commission attended the ECP in person while Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and Punjab ECP member Babar Hasan Bharwana attended it virtually.

Earlier, the ECP rejected the allegations made by Rawalpindi Commissioner, Liaqat Ali Chatha, regarding rigging in the general election held on February 8, Dawn reported. Notably, Pakistan held its 12th national general election on February 8, amid allegations of rigging and the shutdown of cellular and internet services.

In a statement, the ECP said, "The Election Commission of Pakistan strongly rejects the allegations levelled by the Commissioner Rawalpindi on the chief election commissioner or the election commission and no official of the election commission never issued any instructions regarding changing the election results to the Commissioner Rawalpindi," Dawn reported.

"Neither is the commissioner of any division ever appointed as a DRO, RO or presiding officer, nor do they ever play a direct role in the conduct of elections. However, the election commission will conduct an inquiry into the matter as soon as possible," it added.

The ECP's statement came after the Rawalpindi Commissioner held a press conference at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in which he tendered his resignation, saying that he had done injustice to the people of Rawalpindi Division. He admitted that "rigging" took place in Rawalpindi Division and took responsibility for it.

"We converted the losers into winners with 50,000 votes margin," he claimed and surrendered himself before the police."I apologize to the returning officers of my division," he said, adding that his subordinates were crying about what they were directed to do. Chattha claimed that even today the election staff are affixing fake stamps on the ballot papers.

He said, "We wronged the country...I should be executed in Rawalpindi's Kachehri Chowk," The News International reported. Stressing that he was under pressure from social media and overseas Pakistanis, the official said that he even attempted suicide this morning. (ANI)