QUETTA: Leaders of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) have alleged rigging in by-election in the Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-7 (Ziarat).

The by-poll held on Sunday was won by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s (JUI-F) candidate Khalilur Rehman Dummar.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Sardar Habibur Rehman, the losing candidate of the PkMAP, alleged that members of staff at two polling stations were allowing people to use forged computerised national identity cards for casting votes in favour of his opponents.

He was accompanied by PkMAP’s provincial legislator Majeed Khan Achakzai.

The PkMAP leaders said they had already informed the returning officer, the district election officer and other officials concerned about the two sensitive polling stations where there were chances of rigging and violence. But, they added, nothing was done to stop rigging and violence at those polling stations.

Mr Achakzai, who is chairman of the Accounts Committee of the Balochistan Assembly, accused the Levies force, Frontier Corps and police of resorting to baton charge and firing at polling stations where the PkMAP candidate had good position.

He called upon the Chief Election Commissioner to take notice of what he called massive rigging in the Ziarat by-election.

He demanded that the official result of the by-poll should be stopped until verification of votes by officials of Nadra (National Database & Registration Authority).

Meanwhile, a local leader of JUI-F has rejected allegations levelled by the PkMAP leaders.

Talking to this correspondent by phone, he said that “the PkMAP leaders are satisfied with election results only when their party candidates win elections”.

He accused PkMAP members of using state machinery during the campaign and polling for the Ziarat by-poll.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2017