A security guard in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad on September 21, 2023. Photo: AFP
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered an investigation into alleged fraud in the NA-18 Haripur by-election, accusing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of rigging the results.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan made these allegations while addressing the media in the KP Assembly on Monday.
Shafi Jan claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had achieved victory thanks to public support, but its mandate was “stolen from inside the Returning Officer (RO)’s office”. He claimed that all Form 45 documents were in the possession of the PTI and reflected a lead of 32,000 to 35,000 votes in Haripur.
“The results were tampered with in Form-47 inside the RO office. At the last moment, the RO was replaced, PTI workers were thrown out of the office and the office was practically taken over,” he alleged.
He further announced that Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had led a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities. “From class IV employees to deputy commissioner, all individuals who played a role will be investigated. The district administration fulfilled its responsibility from polling stations to the RO office, but the manipulation took place within the domain of the ECP,” he said.
Responding to allegations made by PML-N leader Ikhtiyar Wali, Shafi Jan said the prime minister would issue a defamation notice.
