Election 2013 controversies

This refers to the news report, ‘Re-election ordered in Saad Rafique’s constituency’ (May 5). It took two years for the election tribunal to disqualify Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Mian Naseer – both belong to the ruling PML-N – over allegations of vote rigging. The NA-125 constituency is among the four constituencies – the other three are: NA-120 (Sialkot), NA-122 (Lahore) and NA-154 (Lodhran) – from where the PTI demanded thumbprint verification of votes before staging its sit-ins
The tribunal in its findings has questioned the conduct of returning and presiding officers and virtually held them responsible for election malpractice. The questions are: why did these officers indulge in illegal acts? Did they get some reward for allowing rigging? Who was behind them? It is important to dig out the whole truth. In addition, the money the two former parliamentarians got under the pretext of development fund should be recovered. Our future depends on a true, representative democracy and this is only possible if elections are held in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Engr S T Hussain
Lahore