Is fake Form 45 for real or just propaganda?

ISLAMABAD: The bar associations and PTI candidates from Lahore have come up with their view on the question of seeing and presence of fake Form 45.

Salman Akram Raja, the candidate supported by PTI from National Assembly constituency 128, made a strong fuss about rigging, but did not mention rigging or fake Form 45 in his petition filed in Lahore High Court. He only requested the court a recount be ordered in the presence of his representatives. The court asked him to approach the Election Commission.

A WhatsApp message was sent to Salman Akram Raja to find out about the presence of fake Form 45, but he did not respond. He did not answer the phone call also.

Khurram Latif Khosa, son of PTI’s successful candidate Latif Khosa from National Assembly constituency 122, said not a single fake Form 45 was seen in their constituency, nor was there any rigging.

President Lahore High Court Bar Association Ishtiaq Ali Khan and President Lahore Bar Association Munir Hussain Bhatti said, “We have not seen any fake Form 45”.

Some Form 45s were released on social media which apparently did not have the signatures or thumbprints of the Presiding Officers, they said. “We do not have such forms”, they added.

President Supreme Court Bar Association Shehzad Shaukat said, “It is important to have a high-level inquiry to verify the fake Form 45 to find out who is telling the truth and who is lying”. Without it, it would be premature to say anything, he said.

Former President Supreme Court Bar Ahsan Bhoon said he did not see a single fake Form 45. A commission should be set up to address the concerns of parties raising the issue of fake Form 45 and rigging, he suggested.

The commission should be empowered to recommend strict punishment for those making the election results controversial without evidence on social media and mainstream media, he said.

Vice Chairman Punjab Bar Council Kamran Bashir Mughal said the fake Form 45 was a flop film run by PTI. The PTI challenged the results in the courts only from constituencies where it lost, he observed. “By picking and choosing, PTI has made the entire election process controversial”, he alleged.

The question arises who is making the results of general elections controversial? Who is the real beneficiary? Muslim League-N suffered more damage or PTI got more benefit?