ISLAMABAD: The high-level committee, constituted by the Election Commission of Pakistan has decided to write to Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to acquire the ‘complete transcript’ of ex-Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha’s press conference, accusing ECP and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘election rigging’.
The decision was taken on Sunday during a meeting of a high-level committee – constituted to investigate the claims made by the former commissioner, a local TV reported.
The committee also decided to record statements of all returning officers and district returning officers of the Rawalpindi Division. The statements of DROs of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Talagang and Murree will be recorded.
The committee would record statements of returning officers of thirteen National Assembly constituencies and twenty-six provincial assembly constituencies.
Shocking Press Conference
In a shocking presser, Chatha – who resigned from his post – dropped a bombshell on Saturday, confessing to being involved in rigging the general elections 2024.
Taking responsibility for what he termed a “heinous crime,” the former Commissioner Rawalpindi implicated not only himself but also accused the ECP and CJP Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in the ‘rigging’ — a claim denied by the ECP and the CJP.
The press conference came almost a week after the February 8 general elections as the electoral watchdog has already been in the crosshairs of several rigging allegations amidst PTI and other political parties’ country-wide protests, claiming they were deprived of their mandate.
Chattha said that on Saturday morning he thought of committing suicide but then opted to ‘expose’ the entire rigging fiasco. I want to die a peaceful death, he added.
