Ayaz Sadiq accuses ECP of bias

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s outgoing Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, on Saturday accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of being biased against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and expressed concerns over its performance.

The PML-N leader said that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan did not even respond to his call and left his office without meeting the party representatives present at the Election Commission Secretariat.

“When we arrived at the office, the chief election commissioner had already left for home. We wanted to table our concerns pertaining to rigging in general elections before him. We also wanted to discuss issue of Form-45,” Ayaz Sadiq said while talking to media persons outside the Election Commission office.

The PML-N leader pointed out that the ECP was the most empowered electoral body in the region, yet there were concerns and regrets over its performance. He added that there were complaints from all over that counting of votes was not made before polling agents and Form 45 was not given to them.

Ayaz Sadiq deplored that returning officers were giving orders of recount on their own. “The authority to open a constituency for recount rests with the Election Commission,” he maintained.

About oath-taking by the PML-N legislators-elect, Ayaz Sadiq said that they had not taken any decision yet on this matter. He asserted that he was still the National Assembly speaker and former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also accompanied him; therefore, the chief election commissioner should have given respect to their slots.

Meanwhile, ECP spokesman Altaf Khan said in a chat with journalists afterwards that Ayaz Sadiq visited the Election Commission as a representative of his party.

He contended that the chief election commissioner went back home early due to non-availability of the Election Commission members.

He said that they had received all requests and complaints on voting and that the Election Commission would not be influenced or pressurised by the tactics being adopted by the PML-N leaders.

The spokesman dismissed allegations hurled at the Election Commission by PML-N leaders. “Ayaz Sadiq contacted the chief election commissioner in the morning. Upon this, the chief election commissioner told him that he can meet him today. However, Ayaz Sadiq did not give any reply to this offer,” he said.