PNAP alleges rigging in PB-45 by-polls

QUETTA: The Provincial President of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PNAP), Nasrullah Khan Zeray, has claimed that his victory in the by-polls of PB-45 was turned into a defeat through rigging, just like the elections on February 8, 2024.

He condemned the alleged manipulation and called for fair and transparent elections in the said constituency. He shared these views during a press conference at the party office on Monday, alongside other party leaders, including Raza Mohammad Raza, Qadir Agha, Khushal Kasi, Nida Sanger and others.

He said that just like his victory was reversed in the February 8 elections, similar rigging occurred in the January 5 re-polling. He claimed that on January 3, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) candidate, in collaboration with the Election Commission, conspired to alter the voter lists of 15 polling stations. The Election Commission, along with JUI, manipulated the lists by changing the names of 5,000 voters.

He mentioned when polling agents and voters went to exercise their right to vote, their names were missing from the voter lists. At certain polling stations, presiding officers were not even government employees.

He accused the government of rigging the January 5 elections, and before the results of the 15 polling stations were announced, an illegal declaration of victory was made for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate.

He alleged that the Election Commission officials, in collusion with JUI, had altered the names on the voter lists by replacing 5,000 voters’ names. Despite submitting five applications regarding the missing names from the voter lists, no action was taken.

He also stated that the JUI candidate had faced the consequences of their actions and that they are not part of JUI’s protest because they were complicit with the Election Commission in the conspiracy.

He called for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner after the election results and demanded fresh elections in PB-45 to ensure that the people of the constituency are given their rightful opportunity to vote.

Meanwhile, reacting strongly to alleged rigging in re-election in some polling stations of PB-45 Quetta, Balochistan Assembly (BA) seat, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) on Monday said that not only democratic principles were undermined but once again serious questions were raised on impartial role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The JUIF spokesman, while rejecting re-polling in PB-45 which he dubbed as election drama, termed the same as a black spot on democracy.

The party's spokesman Aslam Ghori said that it was not an election but a slap in the face of democracy, saying that rigging amounts to making a mockery of democratic values. "An attempt has been made to change decision of people through use of force and rigging", he said.

He maintained that JUIF with the help of its strength would foil all such attempt to push the party against the wall and would give every sacrifice to safeguard rights of people. Coming harsh on the ECP, the JUIF spokesman said that such elections are worst examples in country's democratic history, badly hurting trust of masses in democracy.

Aslam Ghori maintained that the JUIF would never accepted results of rigged elections PB-45 and would also expose hands involved in changing people's mandate. Meanwhile, shutter-down strike was observed in various parts of Balochistan following a call by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) to protest the results of the Pb-45 by-polls.

On Monday, shutter down strike observed in Hub, Kalat, Nushki, Mach, Zhob, and other areas of Balochistan in response to JUI's call to protest the results of the Pb-45 by-polls, which were held on Sunday.

Shops, markets, and commercial centers remained closed in Hub, Zhob, Nushki, Kalat, Mach, and other areas due to the strike. It should be noted that the party’s provincial leadership has also announced a wheel-jam strike for January 8 across Balochistan. They claim that the results were manipulated in favor of PPP candidate Ali Madad Jattak, while their own candidate, Usman Pirkani, was the rightful winner according to Form 45.