Alleged election rigging: Rawalpindi commissioner quits

F.P. Report

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha resigned from his post on Saturday, admitting that elections in his division were “rigged”.

Speaking at a press conference at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chattha revealed that he had attempted suicide earlier in the day due to overwhelming guilt. He stated that he was turning himself in to the police, taking responsibility for the incident.

Chattha expressed remorse for forcing his subordinates to engage in wrongdoing and admitted that winning candidates were made to lose on 13 seats in the Rawalpindi division. The commissioner accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja of being complicit in the rigging and asserted that he, along with the CEC and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, deserved punishment, even the death penalty, for their injustice.

Chattha disclosed that after attempting suicide during the Fajr prayer, he decided to come forward with the truth. He confessed to experiencing sleepless nights due to the betrayal of trust toward the people and the country. Chattha said army conducted elections in a fair manner and there was no need for reelection. Chattha noted that he witnessed presiding officers crying over the situation.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chattha admitted that the rigging took place in election and candidates who were leading in their constituencies with over 70,000 votes were converted to losers with the help of fake seals under his watch. He apologized to his subordinates for compelling them to rig elections saying that they were crying when they were directed to carry out the rigging.

Following his confession, Chattha was arrested by security forces and taken to an undisclosed location. The Rawalpindi division comprises Attock, Murree, Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Chakwal districts.