ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday that talks with the federal government on the formation of judicial commission to probe rigging 2013 general elections are no more fruitful.
The federal government and the PTI held a series of talks in Islamabad aiming to reach a consensus on the formation of the proposed judicial commission. However, their differences could not be resolved regarding the Terms of Reference (TORs) of the commission.
“We have reached a dead end, negotiations are no more fruitful,” Qureshi said in a press conference along with the party’s Chairman Imran Khan in Islamabad on Monday evening.
On the occasion, Imran Khan urged the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to resign immediately, saying that he cannot remain the speaker if was elected by rigged elections.
I have demanded resignation of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in the light of Commission Report as he has lost all moral authority to preside over NA.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
The PTI chairman while commenting on an inquiry report on vote verification of NA-122 from where Ayaz Sadiq won his seat, said that the commission has pointed out that there were 34,376 bogus votes in total.
“…moreover, 128 polling stations did not have Form 14 and Form 15,” he said, adding that voting bags were not sealed in 28 polling stations which is a violation of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rules.
Today after getting the Commission Report sent to Elec Tribunal for NA 122, our allegations of large scale rigging have proven correct. 1/5 — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
2/5 Report found 34376 total bogus votes out of which 30118 had counterfoils without PO signature & stamp; 1396 had counterfoils missing; — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
3/5 1395 ballot papers without signature & stamp of PO; 1476 extra rejected votes included in count. Total missing Form XV were 59;
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
4/5 69 Form XIV were missing. In 20 poll stations (PS) serial number not properly mentioned in Form XV & 218 PSs had discrepancy in Form XV
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
5/5 There were 28 unsealed ballot bags. All this data is now part of the record of the NA 122 Elec Tribunal. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
Imran Khan also announced that his party will hold a dharna convention on January 18. He said that the PTI will announce its next course of action at the convention.
The PTI leader said that if a proper investigation is not undertaken into alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections, his party will once again lead protests in the country.
“If an impartial judicial commission is not setup, we will take to the streets,” Imran Khan said.
The urgency of having an empowered JC has become even greater. PTI will not move back from its fight for justice against electoral rigging.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 12, 2015
Federal govt never hesitated to set up judicial commission: Rasheed
Meanwhile, talking to media representatives outside the Parliament House in Islamabad, the federal information minister Pervaiz Rasheed said that the government never hesitated to set up the judicial commission rather Imran Khan is reluctant to constitute it.
The information minister urged the PTI chairman to speak the truth and stop misleading masses.
Rasheed challenged Imran Khan to prove that the commission on NA-122 used wording of 30,000 bogus votes in its report.
Regarding Imran Khan’s allegation of printing of fake ballot papers, he asked Imran Khan to prove his allegation through forensic test.
