The Election Commission’s inquiry report on the Feb 19 Daska by-poll is a telling tale of connivance and misuse of power. The elections in February this year were marred with allegations of ballot tampering, abduction of officers on duty and excessive police and administration influence.
According to the findings, the inquiry committee categorically states that police and the local administration failed to play their designated role as per law, and were found to be puppets in the hands of their unlawful masters. The ECP report noted that a constant observatory force drove or goaded presiding officers.
As per the report, 20 POs were forcibly taken to ‘unknown places’; one PO willingly took with him a bag that had been tampered with in a shopping bag; POs, under some scheme, left their respective polling stations in private vehicles and reached Sialkot; very few POs had managed to send the results of their respective polling stations through WhatsApp.
The probe also revealed that the Sialkot colleges deputy director was involved in meetings held at the Daska assistant commissioner’s house for manipulating the election process — meetings which were also reportedly attended by the then special assistant to the Punjab chief minister Firdous Ashiq Awan.
The PTI-led government has also faced severe criticism on the report, while Opposition parties demanded resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said the ECP report provided evidence against the ruling PTI’s attempt to rig the election and usurp the people’s right to elect their own representative.
This report is highly incriminating for the credibility of our election system but especially for the government. This was not only undemocratic but also against the established lawful norms of unbiasness. The sanctity of the ballot has been encroached upon by this bewildered act.
The ruling party has often been at the forefront of campaigning against rigging and advocating for free and fair elections. This report must be taken extremely seriously. The integrity of future elections is at stake.
The Daska fiasco has once again stressed the importance of electoral reforms. The incumbent government and all other parties should work together to solve this problem so that a free, fair and transparent election in the country can be conducted. The findings must now go to court and those named must be called to give an explanation.
