On Tuesday, Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad urged that Sikandar Sultan Raja, the Chief Election Commissioner, step down from his position and that charges be brought against him under Article 6 of the Constitution (high treason).
As the second day of sessions of the upper house of Parliament began, he offered these remarks. A number of senators brought up the allegations of poll rigging during the session, as well as the press conference held last week by prior Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha, who claimed that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and the Election Commission of Pakistan were involved in the “rigging.” Both the top judge and the electoral watchdog refuted Chattha’s accusations.
According to Chattha, individuals who were “losing” the elections “were made to win,” and “an organized manner at some offices” was still being used to defend the rigged results.
In addition to the former commissioner, a number of political parties asserted that “massive rigging” had stripped them of their mandate, among them PTI, JI, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F), and Awami National Party (ANP).
Speaking at the Senate meeting today, Senator Mushtaq stated: “Chairman sahib, on February 8 the nation saw the worst-ever rigging.” Any administration that is established based on the results of these polls will also be phony because these elections were rigged.
He insisted that the CEC step down and that the ECP issue an apology for not carrying out its constitutional obligations.
The JI senator declared, “Criminal actions against him according to Article 6 of the Constitution should be instituted and the Rs. 5 billion that was utilized for the elections ought to be returned to those responsible for rigging.”
He added that the establishment, the judiciary, the caretaker government, and the ECP had “stolen the authority of the public.”
In addition, Mushtaq read aloud Article 6, emphasizing that the ECP had a duty to guarantee that the voting processes were legitimate, fair, transparent, and free. “However, none of this was guaranteed in the elections on February 8th, and for that reason, the election commission ought to face high treason charges,” he declared.
The senator bemoaned the rise in the price of gas, electricity, and other necessities that the country was paying, alleging that the ECP was receiving all of this money.
“This will be an unusual government in which elections were held prior to the selection of the prime minister. I think this is the robbery [sic] of the vote paper, the vote box, and the people’s fundamental right—not just ballot stuffing, he declared.
Mushtaq continued by saying that the instant internet and cell connectivity was shut off on election day, the polls scheduled for February 8th, lost credibility.
“There has been a crackdown on the social media site Twitter [now X] over the last three days. Why? Because you are afraid, you are not confronting the rigging that has occurred,” he claimed.
The senator went on to say that this was an infringement on people’s digital rights and that it would not be tolerated.
He added that Chattha’s news conference had “exposed” the elections scheduled for February 8. “It is evident that on February 8th, the circumstances were different, and on February 9th, everything changed,” he stated.
In addition, Mushtaq praised JI’s Karachi Emir Naeemur Rehman for resigning from the Sindh Assembly. “Deals were made in advance, and the announcement of the results reflected that. This is a significant issue that needs to be looked into,” he asserted.
The senator continued by saying that individuals engaged in suspected election tampering were gambling with Pakistan’s destiny. “Elections are meant to help the nation out of its crisis, but these elections have made our political and economic problems even more severe,” the man remarked.
“May I inquire what message this is sending to the general public? that certain government employees will make decisions for the country behind closed doors? In his ferocious speech, Mushtaq questioned.
“The voices of the people, loud and clear”
According to PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar, on February 8, Pakistanis, especially the younger generation, declared their support for the party’s imprisoned leader, Imran Khan.
He declared, “It is a revolution for democracy and the right to vote.” “They have made their decision quite plain, even in light of the instances of pre- and post-election manipulation.
Whether someone agrees with this or not, the decision is in support of democracy and hope. “This ruling benefits the PTI and Imran Khan,” Zafar continued, praising the country.
In an effort to prevent “supporters from coming out to vote” on February 8, he claimed that the PTI was being harassed. The senator recollected that PTI candidates’ residences were searched, they were prevented from submitting nomination paperwork, and the organization was not permitted to host any events in the lead-up to voting.
He bemoaned, calling the incidents “pre-poll rigging,” saying, “And then only a few days beforehand [the polls], our electoral badge was taken in order to create uncertainty among voters.”
Barrister Zafar went on to say that Imran’s convictions in the cases of the cipher, Toshakhana, and Iddat, days ahead of polls, resembled a “witch hunt,” and he issued a dire warning about the impact this would have on national politics.
“On February 8, the country turned out to vote for the PTI in spite of all of this. However, post-election rigging started when pre-election rigging failed. Our legal authority has been taken, and it will not remain in the possession of anyone if it does not get back.
He went on, “A government without mandate and without legitimacy will fail.”
Senator Walid Iqbal of the PTI pointed out that the word “election” in Pakistan’s Constitution refers to “an entire process,” not just the act of casting or tallying ballots.
“But everything that transpired during this process, such as raids, stealing nomination papers, and denying a party its electoral symbol, proves that the voting process was tainted,” he asserted.
He bemoaned the interruption of internet and mobile services, claiming that the global community denounced the outage. The senator insisted, “The caretakers and Election Commission of Pakistan will be required to demonstrate that there was no malicious intent in this suspension.”
Iqbal went on to say that the country had been promised by the CEC that preliminary results based on Form 45s will be declared by midnight. He said, “But this did not happen; everything is right in front of us.”
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
