ISLAMABAD - One of the members of Election Commission of Pakistan, Justice (Retd) Riaz Kayani, has strongly responded to Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Imran Khan's allegations levelled against the former judge in a written statement submitted to the Supreme Court last month.
In a statement released to media on Wednesday, Kayani said, "The allegations are now part of record of apex court, where I could not appear in any capacity to rebut the tirade unleashed, further the notice now stands discharged, I, therefore, can only make recourse to the media for publication of my denial." Regarding Khan's allegations, Riaz Kayani stated, "The allegations made are a tassel of irreconcilable lies, a figment of imagination of the PTI chairman's mind, stuffed by his cronies who have their own axe to grind." Responding to allegations he said, "On 11-05-2013, the election day, I along with my provincial election commissioner and a superintendent of police concerned had received a message on wireless that the gates of a polling station in 'S' block DHA had been closed by Rangers. We rushed to the polling station and found hundreds of voters waiting on the roads.
Both the rival candidates levelled allegations against each other but their common request was to get the gates opened which I successfully did and stood there for more than an hour to ensure that nobody went back disenfranchised. I expect the chairman PTI to show restraint."
In his 21-page reply submitted before a three-member SC bench last month, Imran Khan had categorically slammed Riaz Kayani terming him a representative of PML-N and accusing him of being completely partisan in May 11 general elections.