MPA-elect wants probe into forged postal ballots

MANSEHRA: The MPA -elect from PK-41 Laiq Muhammad Khan Swati on Wednesday demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan launch an inquiry to unearth polling of counterfeited postal ballots and other ambiguities in his constituency.

“Though I have won these elections with a comfortable margin of votes, I cannot tolerate polling of forged postal ballots as officials concerned are unaware of such a fraud with them,” he told mediamen in Oghi. Liaq Swati, who had won elections as an independent contestant from Torghar’s only provincial assembly’s constituency PK-41 and joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said over 290 forged postal ballots under the fake seal of Principal Government High School Darband were polled by his rival Zareen Gul Batcha.

“Would you believe neither government employees whose counterfeited votes were polled, nor the principal, whose fake seal was used to stamp those ballots, are aware of all that drama happened with them,” he added.

The MPA-elect said the ECO through the district returning, and returning officers in PK-41 should launch an inquiry without further delay as more such discrepancies would also be unearthed otherwise he would go to a court of law soliciting justice.

The losing and winning candidates in most of the national and provincial assembly constituencies in upper parts of Hazara have also complained of postal ballots missing. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has summoned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahzada Gustasap Khan, both contestants in NA-15 Mansehra-II to appear before it on February 26.Nawaz Sharif through his legal advisor Jehangir Jadoon had moved ECP alleging votes of Torghar’s polling stations are not counted in form 47.