Retired Justice Riaz Kiani, a member of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from Punjab, criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan yesterday for accusing him of playing a role in rigging the 2013 general elections for the PML-N.
“Repeated harangue and ranting of Imran Khan directed towards the ECP in general and against me, among others, in particular is outcome of white lie, consequently to be rubbished. I can only sympathise with electors who voted him to the National Assembly,” Justice Kiani said in a scathing rejoinder Imran’s insinuations.
He said Mr Khan had stood tall in the game of cricket but reduced himself to a midget in politics by levelling baseless allegations that he was a lawyer of the Ittefaq Foundries. It was a blatant lie, Justice Kiani said, adding: “I am an umpire of my own conscience – something difficult for you (Mr Khan) to comprehend.”
He said Mr Khan was too fond of uttering the word ‘Sharmnak’ (shameful) and advised him to give a second thought while referring it to anyone.
Meanwhile ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan imperiously brushed aside an impression created by the PTI chief’s allegation that he had been given extension twice by the present government.
“Had I been fond of seeking extension in service, I would not have sent a request to the government for grant of leave prior to retirement (LPR) on Feb 26, 2011, when I decided to leave the service about eight months before my date of retirement on Nov 4, 2011. However, my premature retirement was not accepted by the government vide Establishment Division’s letter No 41/332/2009-E.I, dated March 28, 2011,” he said.
He said that upon reaching the age of superannuation during the tenure of then Chief Election Commissioner retied Justice Hamid Ali Mirza, the ECP had sent a summary to then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sept 12, 2011, for the grant of two years’ extension which was approved on Sept 16, 2011. It was notified by the Establishment Division on Nov 1 and by the ECP on Nov 3, 2011.
The ECP secretary said the first extension had been granted more than two years before the May 11, 2013, general elections. He said he had again tendered resignation on March 1, 2012, but
“It is evident as a material fact that the present government has not granted me any extension after the 2013 elections,” he said, adding that it was very unfortunate that the leader of a major political party had tried to malign him on mere surmises, conjecture and without any evidence whatsoever.
The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) also rejected Imran Khan’s allegation that it had “manipulated the election material in the basement of the Comsats building”.
A spokesman for Nadra said the authority had repeatedly clarified that its facility at the Comsats building was hired by former deputy chairman Tariq Malik in April 2011 to print electoral rolls for the ECP.
He said in a statement that, “despite several clarifications published in newspapers and issued to the media, the PTI chief continued to harp on it time and again and repeat the same unfounded and baseless information that was tantamount to discrediting the credibility of Nadra.
Ergo there was no room for anybody to manipulate the election material because bags containing photo-electoral lists and counterfoils were opened in the presence of a representative of the election tribunal concerned and it was scanned before repacking and resealing of the bags. Once the scanning is completed, the material is returned to the election tribunal through its representative.
 from Punjab, criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan yesterday for accusing him of playing a role in rigging the 2013 general elections for the PML-N.){kind=link}