Pak election committee completes inquiry into poll rigging allegations

A high-level committee formed by Pakistan's election commission has completed its inquiry into the allegations of poll rigging in the garrison city of Rawalpindi levelled by a senior government officer and will submit its report to the electoral body, a media report said on Thursday.

On Sunday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) formed the committee to probe the explosive allegations levelled by former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha that widespread rigging aided by the judiciary and the top election body took place against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Chattha alleged on Saturday that the candidates who were losing the February 8 elections were made to win in the city. Before resigning from his post, he claimed that 13 candidates from Rawalpindi were forcefully declared winners.

The ECP's inquiry committee formed to investigate the allegations completed its work within the stipulated period of three days and will submit its report to the election commission later in the day, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The committee has recorded statements of the District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) of Rawalpindi division, an official was quoted as saying.

The official said the DROs and ROs denied the former commissioner's allegations of rigging and the manipulation of results.