ISLAMABAD, May 17: Former federal minister and PPP leader Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday alleged massive rigging in NA-110 and 111 and provincial assembly seats of 124 and 125 to benefit the candidates of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

Speaking at a news conference at National Press Club, she announced her decision to file complaints with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the election tribunal to verify the voters through thumb impressions.

Ms Awan, who lost in NA-111, said in her constituency the government machinery was fully utilised in favour of the PML-N candidate.

She showed to the mediapersons tens of ballot papers which she claimed her workers had snatched from PML-N activists stuffing the ballot boxes.

“I have also video proof of the massive rigging. According to my estimate, 30,000 fake votes were polled in my constituency,” she said.

She said during the elections she and her workers had filed 225 complaints with the district returning officer but to no avail.

Pre-poll rigging

Ms Awan alleged that Asmatullah Niazi was appointed as the returning officer in Sialkot. As he was not ready to follow the dictation of the PML-N candidate, he was replaced. She said the assistant returning officer and the assistant commissioner concerned were relatives of the PML-N candidate.

Besides, police officers were running the election campaign of the PML-N, she complained.

The former minister alleged that the poling staff spent the night before elections in the houses of the PML-N supporters and the next day reached the polling stations late.

As a result, polling could not be started on time.

“We have video clips showing police officers in uniform addressing the public meetings of the PML-N. We filed complaints with the DPO and gave him the CDs but he did not listen to us,” she said.

Army was unavailable

“On the polling day, dozens of workers of the PML-N started stamping ballot papers and stuffing the boxes. We contacted the presiding officer to take action but he said he was calling the army officials but they did not arrive,” she said.

Announcement of results delayed

Ms Awan claimed that despite the massive rigging, she and candidates for the provincial assembly seats were winning. As a result, the results were delayed. The results of NA-111 could not be announced for three days, she added.

“According to the ECP rules, the presiding officers were bound to give the results to the polling agents and get their countersigns on the ballot boxes but in my constituency this rule was also not followed.”

Confession that people were not happy with PPP

In reply to questions, Ms Awan confessed that the people were not happy with the PPP because of electricity loadshedding and other issues and most of the former ministers and even the former prime ministers contesting the elections on the PPP tickets faced defeat.

However, she said she lost the elections because of the rigging which was not acceptable. “I will prove that rules were violated during the elections,” she said.