Pak election commission should look into vote rigging allegations: Prez Hussain says in I-Day speech

In an unusual move, Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain in his Independence Day address, raised the issue of alleged rigging in the July 25 elections and asked the election commission to look into the complaints of political parties to make the poll process "fully transparent".

Addressing an official function held at the Jinnah Convention centre here to commemorate the country's 72nd Independence Day, Hussain said it is crucial for the country to make state institutions powerful and independent.

Various political parties have alleged that elections won by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan were not fair and demanded a probe.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif yesterday alleged that "historical rigging" took place during the July 25 elections.

The PML-N came second in Pakistan's National Assembly with 82 seats compared to Khan's PTI which emerged as the single largest party with 158 seats in the 342-member lower house.

President Hussain said the elections and celebration of Pakistan's Independence Day were held in close proximity which "is a reminder that the way this country had come into being with the people's will, in the same manner, the decisions regarding its fate will be made through the vote."