ISLAMABAD: Former commissioner of Rawalpindi Division, Liaqat Ali Chatha, has been missing from the scene since he conducted a famous press conference in February where he ‘admitted’ rigging the elections held under his watch at the division level.
However, the sources privy to his whereabouts suggest he has since been detained at his official residence in Rawalpindi. Initially, one source said, his family was also not allowed to move out. But as the restrictions eased out, they were allowed to travel but him. The guards deputed at his residence keep a track of his visitors which have been reduced to private individuals.
An official said he has also cooperated in the ongoing investigation against former ISI chief, Lt Gen (R) Faiz Hameed but didn’t share details. However, Mohsin Baig, a businessman who is considered close to the powers that be, disclosed in a recent tweet that Chatha admitted conducting the presser on the demand of Faiz who promised to help in getting him elected as President of Pakistan in November once Arif Alvi would vacate the position. Chatha, as per script, was to order the release of Imran Khan after becoming the president, according to that promise.
A source said Chatha is fully cooperating with the investigators about Faiz and other inquiries. Asked if any stern action will be taken against him. The source said the decision-makers are more interested in extracting information from him than penalising him. According to him, Chatha is ready to stand in the witness box against Faiz as and when it is required. Initially, a corruption inquiry was initiated against him but it didn’t proceed when he started cooperating with the government.
In a press conference a week after February’s election, Chatha dropped a bombshell when claimed that the poll results of the Rawalpindi division were manipulated under his watch. As a sign of regret for this alleged misdeed, he announced to step down. As a matter of fact, he was already at the verge of retirement which was about to take place in a few weeks. “I am taking responsibility for all this wrongdoing,” he said and alleged the Chief Election Commissioner and Chief Justice of Pakistan of their involvement. “We made independent candidates – who had leads of 70,000-80,000 votes – lose by putting on fake stamps,” he had said.
However, he apologised when summoned by the Election Commission of Pakistan and said he was persuaded into doing so by some leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and February 17 was chosen for this presser because the PTI was planning a protest on that day. By then, it was decided that the Punjab government would prosecute him for hurling baseless allegations against the top constitution office holders but there was no follow up to that.