Over 100 per cent voting was witnessed in 49 polling stations in Pakistan in May 11 general elections, which were won by PML-N of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, alleged an independent elections observer group Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
Islamabad, May 14/Nationalturk: Believe it or not but it is a fact that according to data from an independent elections observer group Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), over 100 per cent voting was witnessed in 49 polling stations in Pakistan in May 11 general elections, which were won by PML-N of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
“In 49 polling stations in the country, number of votes polled far exceeds the registered voters,” revealed the date released by FAFEN.
It said of the 49 polling situation, six were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 32 in Punjab, 10 in Sindh and one in Balochistan province.
“The largest discrepancy was found at a polling station in Rahim Yar Khan’s NA-193 constituency, which witnessed a voter turnout of over 320 per cent, as 1010 votes were cast against 315 registered voters. A polling station in NA-6, Nowshera-II saw 2774 votes cast against 1023 maximum possible votes. A polling station in Sindh’s NA-211 Naushero Feroze-I saw 982 votes against 491 votes, coming up to a voter turnout of 200 per cent. The only constituency in Balochistan to witnessed over 100 per cent voter turnout was NA-262 Killa Abdullah, where at a polling station 184 per cent or 581 ballots against 315 registered voters were polled,” FAFEN’s data revealed.
The FAFEN had over 41,000 trained election observers monitoring polling at a sample of 8,119 polling stations across the country on May 11.
FAFEN has asked Pakistan’s Election Commission not to include votes from these polling stations in calculations of constituency election results, and advised them to consider re-polling in these stations. “The Election Commission should release all polling statements of count to the public on its website before certifying final results in any constituency”.
“We will conduct re-polling where we receive substantial evidence of rigging or irregularities,” Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Ishtiaq Ahmed told reporters.
He said the commission has asked the civil society members to submit evidence of rigging or malpractice to it.
Imran Khan’s PTI seeks re-election in 25 seats
The cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders, workers and supporters held sits-in in several cities of Pakistan yesterday to protest against alleged irregularities in elections.
Imran said the party had collected evidence of rigging in 25 constituencies of parliament and asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to look into the complaints.
Imran, who is bed-ridden at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital since May 7 after falling off a fork-lift vehicle, called for re-counting in constituencies identified for rigging complaints.
Meanwhile, the party’s supporters, comprising largely youth and women, have been continuously protesting in different parts of Lahore province to seek re-election in some constituencies where they fear rigging was done.
Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan said the results from all over Punjab and particularly in Lahore were highly unexpected.
“How come 62 per cent turnout and almost 90 per cent voters casting vote for the PTI but results declaring PML-N candidates winners,” she asked.
She said the demonstrations would continue till the Election Commission takes action.
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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News
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