Alleged corruption in award of tickets: PMLN files reference with ECP against Imran, Saqib Nisar

ISLAMABAD: A reference Wednesday landed in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and others — including ex-CJP Saqib Nisar — for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices in the award of party tickets for the Punjab Assembly elections.

Special Assistant to the PM, PMLN leaders Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan and Attaullah Tarar filed the reference.

The reference urges the Election Commission to take legal action against the nominated people for their corruption and corrupt practices.

The reference was filed under Article 218(3) of the Constitution and the Elections Act, 2017.

PP-137 ticket holder Abuzar Chadhar, Mian Uzair, Chairperson Reconciliatory Committee for Central Punjab Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry and PTI Secretary General Asad Umar have also been made parties to the reference.

The transcript of the purported audio leak of Najam Saqib, son of Justice (retd) Saqib Nisar, has also been attached with the reference.

The leaked audio purportedly features two separate telephonic conversations between Najam Saqib and Abuzar Chadhar, and another person Mian Uzair. The three could be heard allegedly talking about the provincial assembly ticket recently issued by the PTI.

The PMLN leaders said the reference was filed due to open financial and moral corruption. They said a political party flouted the law, democratic ethics and was polluting politics by committing corruption in the award of party tickets and asked the Election Commission to take action for violation of the Constitution, the law, and the Elections Act. They noted that the persons mentioned in the reference were directly involved in the crime while Imran Khan himself gave party tickets last week.

The PMLN leaders said they had been exposed by an audio that went viral on the informal and formal media on April 29. The audio revealed that these people were directly involved in this crime.

The Article 218 (3) says, “It shall be the duty of the Election Commission to organize and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.”

Likewise, Section II (8) of the Elections Act, 2017 — Power of Commission to ensure fair election — says, “Save as otherwise provided, the Commission may — (a) stop the polls at one or more polling stations at any stage of the election if it is convinced that it shall not be able to ensure the conduct of the election justly, fairly and in accordance with law due to large scale malpractices, including coercion, intimidation and pressures, prevailing at the election; (b) review an order passed by an officer under this Act or the Rules, including rejection of a ballot paper; and (c) issue such instructions, exercise such powers and make such consequential orders as may in its opinion, be necessary for ensuring that an election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the Rules”. In a related development, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has constituted a special committee of the National Assembly to investigate the audio leak.

According to a notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, Muhammad Aslam Bhootani will be the chairman of the special committee, while Khalid Hussain Magsi, Sheikh Rohale Asghar, Naz Baloch, Shahida Akhtar Ali, Muhammad Abu Bakkar, Syed Hussain Tariq, Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Wajiha Qamar and Dr Muhammad Afzal Dhandlah are its members. The special committee will take assistance from any institution and investigation agency for probe and inquiry into the audio leak and submit its report to the National Assembly after completion of comprehensive investigation.

The lower house of parliament Tuesday adopted a motion for the constitution of a special parliamentary committee to investigate the audio leak. JUI-F parliamentarian Shahida Akhtar Ali moved the motion under rule 244 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House, 2007, seeking constitution of a special parliamentary committee. The House authorised the NA speaker to nominate chairperson of the committee.

The members of the committee have been taken from coalition partners of the government. According to the motion, the committee could summon any person for purpose of probe and could also seek support of investigation agencies. The committee would also direct for forensic audit of the audio leak.

The 10-member special committee of the National Assembly on audio leak would be consigning the issue to the FIA for a thorough probe and forensic of the audio to convert it into solid evidence.