LAHORE: “Those alleging fraud and rigging in election are not only creators but defenders of the current Election Commission of Pakistan, why are they upset now,” wonders PAT supremo Tahirul Qadri.

Addressing party workers, he said he along with thousands of activists marched on Islamabad for the formation of a new election commission so that doors of rigging could be closed for good. But, despite being an issue of national importance, the effort was ignored.

“Every general election in Pakistan since 2002 has been declared fraud and rigged; losers pointed out failures and weaknesses of the election commissions. But when in power, the same commission is certified as fair and efficient instead of removing its deficiencies. The parties now protesting at the gates of election commission against the alleged rigging are the same which had been working for two years on reforms of ECP in the parliamentary committee. If that committee could make as big decisions as working against Islamic belief of the finality of Prophethood, then why it failed to empower ECP through necessary legislation?”

Qadri said: “Before elections, billions of rupees were distributed from the national exchequer, constituencies were altered, articles 62 and 63 were removed from nomination papers and all necessary steps were taken to acquire desired results. But when all arrangements failed, they are trying to create nuisance.”

He said PAT had nothing to do with the current electoral system, because it believed the entire system was rigged and corrupt.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2018