ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Sunday rejected allegations of rigging in the November 23 by-elections, particularly those relating to NA-18 Haripur, calling them baseless.
The by-elections were held earlier this month for six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly seats. The PML-N contested all constituencies except one provincial seat in Muzaffargarh and won all 12. The PTI disputed the outcome, with senior leader Asad Qaiser rejecting the results and accusing the authorities of manipulation.
In its statement, the Commission said that “specific elements” were attempting to cast doubt on the polls by portraying the appointment of the district returning officer and returning officer in NA-18 as part of a conspiracy. It said the claim was “entirely contrary to the facts”, explaining that staff shortages during the general elections had prevented the ECP from appointing its own ROs and DROs, while by-elections allowed such postings where needed.
According to the ECP, officers already serving in the district were appointed as DRO and RO in Haripur, which it said was fully within its mandate under the Elections Act 2017. These appointments were made well before polling day and no political party raised objections until after the vote, the statement added.
The ECP said that established mechanisms exist for addressing disputes once polling has concluded. It noted that if an RO refuses to accept an application, parties can approach the Commission directly, but no such complaint was lodged. Likewise, any request to halt consolidation or seek a recount must first go to the RO and then to the Commission within the given timeframe, which also did not occur.
The Commission rejected the allegation that Form-45 had been prepared in advance, stating that all presiding officers and support staff were drawn from the provincial administration. It added that if it had wished, it could have assigned federal employees posted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as presiding officers, but it did not. The provincial staff submitted polling bags and results to the RO after the election, and the security arrangement was also handled by the provincial government.
The ECP said repeated accusations after every election served only to undermine public confidence in the process. It pointed out that Election Tribunals were functional and available for formal challenges, urging parties to approach the proper legal forum rather than making allegations through the media.
The Commission reiterated that it had acted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law in the conduct of the recent by-elections and would continue to do so.
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