Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said that results of NA-75 by-elections were unnecessarily delayed and returning officer fears alteration in results of 20 polling stations.
Election Commission, in a statement, said that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) tried to contact IGP Punjab, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to know whereabouts of the missing presiding officers but all three officials did not give any response.
However, about 3am Chief Secretary responded and assured to trace lost officials and polling bags but he made himself unavailable after that. After much effort, presiding officers resurface along with polling bags about 6am.
The statement further states that it is not possible to release unofficial result without full inquiry into the incident; however, district returning officer and returning officer are sending a report to the commission and provincial election commissioner and joint provincial election commissioner have been directed to reach office of returning officers.
Earlier, The ECP head also reached office late night over complaints of irregularities and disappearance of polling staff of NA-75 and tried to contact IG Punjab and DCO Gujranwala but both officials did not respond.
The CEC also contacted provincial election commissioner, Chief Secretary Punjab and DPO and directed them to recover polling staff.
The returning officer in NA-75 Daska has on Saturday withheld by-poll result and the final outcome will now be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to the unofficial results of 337 polling stations, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nosheen Iftikhar (97,588 votes) was leading Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Ali Asjad Malhi (94,541 votes). However, results of 23 polling stations were delayed.
Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan has on Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won the NA-75 Daska by-poll by 7,827 votes.
The SACM talked to media and alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Javed Latif and Atta Tarar held the returning officer hostage to withhold the result.
On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal has welcomed decision of returning officer to withhold results of NA-75 and demanded an inquiry into alleged ‘abduction’ of presiding officers of several polling stations.