LAHORE   -  Terming statement of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a charge-sheet against the government, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday demanded fresh polls in NA-75 Daska after getting ‘irrefutable evidence’ of massive rigging “I am happy on ECP performing Constitutional and legal duty. All eyes are on the ECP which has good opportunity to prove its neutrality’, she said while addressing a Press conference at PML-N Secretariat. In a statement, ECP has suspected possible change in results of 20 polling stations, she said. ECP said results were received with inordinate delay and Presiding Officers could not be contacted despite several attempts, she said. Flanked by PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, Punjab President Rana Sanaullah and others, Maryam Nawaz said that even ECP employees were not spared in efforts to rig the elections. “We stopped getting results after 337th polling station. We were winning at that time. On not getting results from the remaining polling stations, our team approached Returning Officer only to get the news that staff of 20 plus polling station has gone missing”, she said, adding, even media channels favouring the government reported this unusual happening of RO losing contact with Presiding Officers due to foggy weather. 

“Staff in even remote areas managed to reach in foggy weather. But those 20-something officers could not reach. RO failed to even contact them on mobile phones”, she stated. She claimed that these ECP officials were made to disappear only to appear after more than 14 hours.  “Nobody knows where these officers were kept for 14 hours”, she said, adding, fresh polls should be the only option to get results in accordance with the public aspiration. She accused the government of using all unfair means for stealing the election after seeing clear victory of the PML-N. “PTI camps were deserted which made the rulers anxious”, she said, adding, PTI resorted to firing to create an environment of fear and stop  PML-N supporters from voting. “There is a video that shows a PTI MNA standing beside those firing. PTI candidate and his supporters opened fire in markets and streets which created chaos”, she said.  “Polling was slowed down. Two innocent youth were killed. Bags of votes were stolen”, she said, adding, the administration was nowhere to control the situation. “Where was the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, the IG and the administration,” she stated. Maryam also lashed out at the government for blaming the Opposition. 

“The administration and the police is yours. Just imagine how someone from the PML-N would have been treated if the government had found him guilty”, she said.  Despite all odds, she said, the PML-N voters and supporters refused to back down and stood up for their rights. “I saw a video of a woman who said she had not planned to vote for the PML-N. But after the firing and hooliganism, she desired to vote for the PML-N. So you think the people are fools but they are not. Their eyes are wide open,” she said. “PTI resorted to slowing down the voting process by closing down polling stations. It happened both in Daska and Wazirabad. There were long queues outside polling stations. Videos were also shared as everybody now a days has smart phone. Have your ever heard of polling stations being closed for four to five hours? They closed the doors while their own ministers were sitting inside. What were they doing,” she said. “When this scheme was also unsuccessful, they decided to run away with bags full of ballots,” she added. She appreciated PML-N MPA and workers for failing such attempts after experience of 2018 general elections.  “A Presiding Officer was caught running away with a bag of ballots in Wazirabad by party leader Ataullah Tarar and workers. He was fleeing in a police car but was caught in the presence of Rangers.” she said.