Parties to begin arguments today to prove allegation

ISLAMABAD: Political parties that levelled allegations of systematic rigging in the 2013 general elections will try to substantiate their proof of allegations in the final round of their arguments before the Inquiry Commission resuming its hearing today (Monday).
The judicial Inquiry Commission is headed by Chief Justice Justice Nasir ul Mulk and comprises Justice Ameer Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan of the Supreme Court.The Commission on June 19 had asked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Balochistan National Party (Awami), PML-Q and the defending Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit their synopsis of arguments they intended to make before the Commission during in the final phase of hearing.
In pursuance of the Commission’s directive PT1 and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had submitted their written arguments. The PTI counsel Abdul Hafeez Pirzada while submitting his written arguments reiterated his stance, accusing the ruling PML-N of usurping the popular mandate.
The PTI in its synopsis had alleged that true mandate it received from the electorate was illegally manipulated and that actual results varied from the officially notified and disputed results.
Similarly MQM has denied the allegations of election rigging, levelled by Muhajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) and JI.Earlier, senior leader of MQM Farooq Sattar while recording his testimony before the Inquiry Commission on June 19 had denied the allegations levelled against MQM by JI and MQM (H).
The witnesses produced by JI during their testimonies had alleged that workers of MQM did not allow their polling agents to enter the polling stations and MQM workers were engaged in casting votes. Similarly, PML-Q through his counsel Dr Khalid Ranjha had alleged that the Returning Officers in some NA and provincial assembly constituencies had played significant role in manipulating the elections results. He had stressed the Inquiry Commission to summon Returning Officers (ROs) of these NA and PA constituencies for recording their testimonies.
Dr Ranjha had further alleged that these ROs had not issued the notices to the contesting candidates for the consolidation of election results.The Commission at the request of PML-Q counsel then summoned the ROs from four National Assembly constituencies and three provincial assembly constituencies.
The ROs of four NA constituencies NA-134, 140, NA- 142 and NA-164 and three provincial assembly constituencies PP-61, PP-109 and PP-215 while recording their statements before the Commission during cross-examination by Khalid Ranjha however, refuted the allegation made by PML-Q that notices were not issued by them to the candidates for consolidation of election results of 2013 general elections.
Most of the ROs had produced before the Commission proofs including receipts of notices, received by the contesting candidates. It will be a test of moment for PML-Q counsel Dr Khalid Ranjha as to how he will be able to substantiate proof of his allegations in his arguments before the learned Inquiry Commission after the ROs have refuted the claim of PML-Q
Likewise, The PTI had cross-examined all the 13 witnesses produced before the Commission including former Chief Secretary and Additional Secretary Punjab besides cross examining former caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Najam Sethi, anchorperson Hamid Mir and others.
Similarly, the Inquiry Commission had also summoned Returning Officers of 11 constituencies including NA-21, NA 34, NA 43, NA 53, NA 118, NA 119, NA 130, NA 125, NA 157, NA 171 and NA 222 where extra ballot papers were printed during 2103 elections.The PTI counsel had cross-examined them. Now the PTI counsel will commence his arguments on June 29 in view of the evidence and finally have to prove the allegations.