JI Senator demands CEC resignation over alleged poll rigging

ISLAMABAD: Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) demanded on Tuesday that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja resign from his position due to the February 8 general elections not being held in a transparent manner.

In an address to the Senate today in Islamabad, the JI senator claimed that the elections rigged. And that they would create a rigged government.

The senator made grave accusations against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Claiming that it committed treason and ought to apologize to the country.

“An action under Article 6 of the Constitution ought to taken against the CEC. As the ECP received Rs. 50 billion from the national exchequer, but it was unable to conduct transparent elections,” he claimed.

The JI senator demanded that the money wasted on elections reimbursed. And that CEC Raja sued. As well as the creation of an independent Supreme Court-level judicial commission.

He insisted that the judicial commission look into the Form 45 issue.

The senator also rebuked the authorities over the suspension of social media platform, X, saying that it inflicted economic. And educational damage as well as it was tantamount to robbing people’s rights. He demanded the restoration of all the social media platforms avoiding placing restrictions on them.

X, formerly known as Twitter, remains intermittently down in Pakistan after it restored on Monday. After an over 36-hour blockade since Saturday (February 17).

Ahmed said those embroiled in rigging were playing with the national integrity. Suspension of internet services established that the polls were not transparent. He said adding, that the authorities scared after allowing rigging. Therefore social media platforms shut down.

“To some extent, the Rawalpindi commissioner relayed details about the irregularities in elections. When JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman announced to hold a protest. You made him win from a constituency where he the runner-up,” he said. 

“We ought to head home.”
Regarding the role of returning officers (ROs) in polls. Senator Waleed Iqbal of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stated that lawmakers “should go home”. Because the laws passed by the parliament are not being implemented.

“The chief electoral commissioner did not even bother to brief the media. On the results of the polls conducted on February 8,” the senator stated. Insisting that the electoral body address the claims of election manipulation.

Regarding the disruptions to the internet on election day. The PTI leader questioned why the internet was closed at night when the voting process was completed during the day.