On Saturday, a prominent Pakistani official voiced serious accusations against the chief election commissioner and the chief justice, alleging their involvement in electoral misconduct during the recent election. Former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha made these statements as he resigned from his position, assuming accountability for what he deemed as "wrongdoing."
Chattha's remarks surfaced amidst the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, initiating nationwide protests against purported election rigging and the alleged usurpation of its electoral mandate in the February 8 elections.
Addressing reporters at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chattha expressed concerns that candidates who appeared to be losing the elections were declared as winners through dubious means. "I am taking the responsibility for all this wrongdoing and telling you that the chief election commissioner and the chief justice are also completely involved in this," he asserted, according to the Dawn newspaper.
Reportedly, Chattha tendered his resignation from his position, acknowledging his role in manipulating election results. He stressed that his conscience couldn't rest knowing that the integrity of the nation's democratic process had been compromised. "I should be punished for the injustice I have done, and others who were involved in this injustice should also be punished," he emphasized.
Moreover, Chattha disclosed that he faced immense pressure, to the extent that he contemplated taking drastic measures, but eventually decided to bring the matter to the public's attention. He urged fellow bureaucrats to refrain from engaging in unethical practices to favor politicians.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) vehemently refuted Chattha's allegations against the chief election commissioner, asserting that no instructions were issued to manipulate election results. However, it pledged to investigate the matter.
Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir also dismissed Chattha's claims, citing a lack of evidence. Mir suggested that Chattha might be seeking to jumpstart a political career post-retirement.
Besides the PTI, several other parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), have raised concerns about election irregularities. Independent candidates, many backed by the PTI, secured the majority of seats contested in the February 8 election.
Despite PTI's electoral success, its main rivals, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), have formed a coalition, positioning themselves to potentially establish a government.
