All parties in Lower Dir reject polls as rigged

TIMERGARA: The political parties in Lower Dir on Sunday rejected results of the July 25 general election and termed it 'massively rigged.'

Speaking at a press conference here, JI district chief and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal candidate for NA-6 Maulana Asadullah, Pakistan People's Party district president and candidate for PK-15 Mahmood Zeb Khan, ANP district president Hussain Shah Yousafzai, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial vice-president Malik Jehanzeb Khan, former finance minister and MMA candidate for PK-15 Muzaffar Said, MMA candidate for PK-13 Shad Nawaz Khan, PPP candidate for PK-14 Bakht Baidar Khan, ANP candidate for PK-13 Malik Muhammad Zeb Khan, JI candidate for PK-14 Dr Zakirullah Khan, PML-N district general secretary and candidate for NA-6 Javed Akhtar advocate, JUI-F's Mufti Khalid Mahmood and others alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the caretaker government and establishment were responsible for blatantly rigging the election and stealing mandate of the people.

"Form 45 was not sent to most of the polling stations while polling agents were sent out during the counting process," Maulana Asadullah alleged, adding in most women polling stations voter were polled more than the registered ones.

They said the election was rigged in favour of the candidates of one party under an organised move whereas applications for recounting were also rejected without any reason. "We reject election results and whatever decision taken by the central leadership of all parties regarding protest would be followed in letter and spirit," said one of the leaders.