Shehbaz Sharif asks ECP to make changes to avoid NA-75 by-poll mishaps

LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif has called on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make changes in its rules to ensure that illegalities that occurred in the NA-75 Daska by-poll do not happen again.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, Shehbaz said that he was approaching the body because of the two fact-finding reports released by ECP on the NA-75 by-poll.

The leader of the opposition has also demanded the ECP to launch a probe to fix responsibility on those who were behind-the-scene directors of the whole shameful episode. He also claimed that the same people also passed illegal instructions to the district functionaries to carry out nefarious criminal acts.

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The PML-N president said that both the reports are a “damning indictment” of the Punjab government for pre-mediated and systematic rigging in the February 19 by-election.

“Overwhelming evidence of such rigging was available immediately after the by-election, which was one of the most controversial by-election in Pakistan’s history,” the letter reads.

Shehbaz recalled that the by-election was declared null and void by the ECP on February 25 and a fresh re-poll was ordered. He added that the decision was also upheld by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on April 2. He noted that the main findings in the first report suggested that the by-election was not held in a fair, free and transparent manner.

Shehbaz stated that election officials and other government functionaries posted for the by-poll were acting as “puppets”.

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“POs and other officers of the education department were fully involved in ‘jeopardizing the fair, free and transparent by-election,” Shehbaz stated while adding that the role of the DRO and RO was also very poor and irresponsible.

The letter further said that the report had indicated that the “lethargic” behaviour of senior police officers has “strengthened the apprehensions” that the law enforcement agency had knowledge of the incidents going on and allowed the things to happen as per plan.

Shehbaz recalled that the DC and DPO Sialkot have been found guilty of misconduct in ECP’s report. AC Daska not only misused his position but “tried his level best to jeopardise the election process and alter the results in favour of the government” and also gave unlawful directions to the polling personnel”, both of which were “criminal acts on his part”, he said.

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Shehbaz while commending the commission, noted that the facts confirmed in the reports suggest that unprecedented election rigging took place. He added that the actions were a subversion of the will of the people, disrespect of the people’s vote, and a stain on Pakistan’s democratic system.

Shehbaz appealed to the ECP to take immediate, decisive, punitive action against all those involved in the irregularities. He also strongly urged the commission to exercise its powers under section 191 of the Election Act to file complaints before the court of sessions, Daska, against all suspected officials.

“The ECP should exercise its powers under section 190 to file complaints against persons found to be involved in offences under section 167 (read with section 172) and section 175, punishable under section 174 and 183 respectively,” Shehbaz concluded.