The candidates allege that all presidents initially provided signed results on Form 45, which were later amended.
PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates from Peshawar district formally demanded an inquiry into alleged irregularities during the previous general elections, writing to the Chief Minister and the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly.
In a three-page detailed letter, PTI candidates, including Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Mahmood Jan, Ali Azeem, Arbab Jahandar, Malik Shahab, Muhammad Asim, Kamran Bangash, Sajid Nawaz and Hamidul Haq, sought formation of a special committee under Rule 237 of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Business Rules to investigate the alleged election fraud.
The letter claims that a timely investigation could have prevented alleged irregularities in subsequent elections, such as the by-election in NA-18 Haripur. According to PTI candidates, numerous provincial assembly seats witnessed manipulated results, particularly in Peshawar where large-scale anomalies are alleged.
The candidates allege that all presidents initially provided signed Form 45 results, which were later altered. They claim that when preliminary results favored the PTI, relevant computer screens were reportedly closed, preventing transparency.
The letter also names key officials as witnesses to the incidents, including Peshawar District Returning Officer Afaq Wazir, CCPO Peshawar Ashfaq Anwar and SSP Operator Kashif Abbasi. Furthermore, the CCPO Peshawar is alleged to have prevented PTI candidates from entering the Qayyum Stadium premises during critical stages of the vote counting process. Former chief secretary Nadeem Chaudhry and then inspector general of police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur were allegedly present in the control rooms supervising the operations.
The PTI candidates have also stated that the matter has been brought to the attention of the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Peshawar High Court for further investigation. The party stresses that only a thorough and impartial investigation can restore public confidence in the electoral process in the province.
