ECP reacts to Imran Khan’s allegations of rigging in Karachi by-polls

KARACHI: Sindh Election Commissioner Aijaz Anwer Chohan Monday strongly condemned PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations of rigging during Sunday's by-elections in Karachi’s NA-237 constituency.

Levelling allegations that Sindh's election commissioner was on the "provincial government's payroll" Khan rejected the poll results and demanded re-election.

“The ECP ensured better arrangements for free and fair elections in Malir and Korangi. The elections went well in both the constituencies," Chohan responded while speaking to Geo News.

The provincial election commissioner recalled PTI leader and former minister Fawad Chaudhry’s remarks in which he commended ECP’s arrangements as overall satisfactory and peaceful.

Chohan further said Malir’s by-polls were “100% free and fair” and claimed that more votes were cast in the constituency.

Khan’s blames 'rigging' for his defeat

Earlier today, during a press conference, Khan claimed that rigging was the reason behind his loss in Karachi's NA-237 Malir-II by-polls. Khan was defeated by PPP candidate Abdul Hakeem Baloch by nearly 10,000 votes.

Baloch received 32,567 votes, while Khan only managed to obtain 22,493.

Khan said: “We reject [Malir's] by-election and demand re-election. The PPP swung the polls to their advantage through indiscriminate rigging," Khan alleged.

He said the nation had rejected this legislature as well as this government and wanted new polls across the country.