Liaquat Ali Chatta, the Commissioner of the Rawalpindi Division, announced his resignation on Saturday, citing systematic election rigging as the reason for his departure.
During a press briefing held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chatta disclosed his decision and acknowledged the occurrence of electoral tampering within the division under his watch.
In a candid admission, Chatta accepted full responsibility for the electoral irregularities, revealing that actions had been taken to alter election outcomes by a margin of 50,000 votes, thereby unjustly favouring certain candidates over others. “I did injustice to the people of Rawalpindi Division,” he stated, presenting himself to the police as a gesture of accountability.
Expressing remorse, Chatta apologised to the returning officers in his division, highlighting the emotional toll the directives had taken on his team, with subordinates reportedly distressed by their instructions. Furthermore, he disclosed ongoing fraudulent activities, including applying counterfeit stamps on ballot papers, even on the day of his announcement.
Reflecting on the gravity of his actions, Chatta suggested that the appropriate recourse for his involvement in compromising the electoral process would be capital punishment at Kachehri Chowk in Rawalpindi. He also mentioned the immense pressure he faced from social media and the Pakistani diaspora, which had significantly impacted his mental state, leading to a suicide attempt earlier that morning.
