Islamabad: The commission constituted through a presidential ordinance to inquire into alleged rigging in the 2013 elections summoned NADRA Chairman Usman Yousaf and the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) representative on Thursday for cross-examination.
The meeting of the three-member judicial commission headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk, which is comprised of Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal, was held at the Supreme Court premises in Islamabad.
Counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Abdul Hafeez Pirzada cross-examined the Security Printing Press managing director.
Lawyers for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday withdrew the name of former lawmaker Nabil Gabol from the list of witnesses in the judicial inquiry.
Pakistan Security Printing Corporation Karachi Managing Director Rizwan Ahmed was cross-examined.
Ahmed said that he was posted for Security Printing Press on April 11, 2013 when the printing of ballot papers had already begun. He said that as compared to 2008, extra paper for ballots was purchased in the 2013 elections because the number of constituencies was greater.
The managing director said ballot papers were handed over to the Election Commission and returning officers under the supervision of the Pakistan Army. He said the Pakistan Security Printing Press printed 73 million ballot papers. It supplied ballot papers to Balochistan, Punjab, and upper and south Sindh.
Extra ballot papers had to be printed due to orders from the courts, he said, adding that orders to purchase extra paper were given by the Printing Corporation of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Security Printing Corporation printed 73.3 million ballot papers, he said, adding that the record of the printing of all ballot papers was present at the printing corporation.
He claimed that ballot papers were not printed from outside the press, and that it was incorrect to say that the printing machines had photocopying and memory card options. These machines were only for printing, he said.
He said that the printing corporation re-printed ballot papers of eight constituencies in Sindh, Balochistan and three divisions of Punjab after the court orders. He added that old ballot papers were also destroyed in the presence of security personnel.
He said that Balochistan was provided ballot papers by May 2, but he claimed that he did not remember when they were delivered to Punjab and Sindh.
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