ELECTORAL VIOLENCE
Violence during the strike called by PML-F claimed three lives while, as many as, 10 people were injured in Khairpur on Thursday. “… The PML-F had called for a protest in the province against the alleged rigging and manipulation in the elections…” The News.
ECP OVER ALLEGATIONS
Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Ishtiak Ahmad Khan on Thursday termed the allegations of rigging in elections as baseless as international observers have declared it free, fair and transparent “… It is unfortunate that international observers and foreign countries are congratulating Pakistan for holding free, fair and transparent elections but we doubt its credibility…” The Frontier Post, and in this connection the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday said that presiding officers would be held accountable for every single ballot paper adding that the system put in place would not spare any faking
The News.
POLL RIGGING
Question of irregularities and rigging figured prominently in the meeting of the federal cabinet Thursday, the first after last week’s general elections. Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso who is a constitution wizard concluded the discussion by quoting constitutional articles and asked the federal law and justice affairs minister to look into the complaints The News, as the Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawwar Hasan has said that elections in most of the constituencies were engineered, and the results were already prepared “…People are on the roads in protest against poll results which are a surprise for the loser as well as the winner…”The News, The Frontier Post, Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) president Dr Tahirul Qadri reiterated that elections results had vindicated his stance that no change could be made in the presence of present corrupt electoral system which only favoured the capitalists and feudal lordsThe News, Protests against widespread election rigging in Karachi continued for the fifth consecutive day across the city with the Pir Pagara-led Pakistan Muslim League-Functional also joining the foray of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami The News, The Frontier Post, and in move of defense, the Punjab Teachers Union come up with a protest in front of Punjab Assembly chambers and rejected the allegations of riggings on May 11 elections and the charges of teachers involvement in the process. They denounced such charges being leveled by PTI candidate during a private television show The Express Tribune, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has credited the Taliban for successfully engineering the rout of his party in recent elections “…We accept the results, despite reservations, and our party would sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa …” Dawn.
NADRA EXCUSE OVER VOTERS VERIFICATION
Amid demands from certain political parties to verify the thumb impressions of voters on ballot papers to prove rigging allegations, higher authorities in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Thursday conceded that the authority at the moment had no capacity to verify the thumb impressions of voters in large number The Nation.
‘COAS’ ASSURANCE OF SUPPORT TO CEC
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has said that army would continue to support and provide help to the Election Commission in its endeavoring to hold re-polls in several constituencies “… Chief Election Commissioner thanked the Army Chief for provision of security during the election process…” The Frontier Post, The Express Tribune, The Nation, for the security provisions in Khyber Agency the Political Agent (PA) of Khyber Agency Mutahir Zeb has informed, in written, the Election Commission of Pakistan of corrections in voter list and deployment of Army for the reelection at NA-46 The Frontier Post.
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS OVER POLL RIGGING
The international observers has placed their confidence in the recently held elections in the country and termed it free and free with few exceptions notwithstanding the allegations being leveled by the contesters. “…The delegation overall termed the elections as fair and peaceful…” The Frontier Post.
LOW TURN OUT OF FEMALE IN BAJAUR
“…the turnout of women voters in NA -43 and NA-44 remained less than three per cent, which was a matter of disappointment …” Only 2,800 women voters were able to cast their vote in the two National Assembly constituencies of Bajaur Agency in May 11 general election despite assurance of the candidates to the Election Commission of Pakistan that they would allow the women to exercise their vote right. Dawn.
