LAHORE: PMLN Central Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb has lashed out against the tsunamis of lies unleashed by PTI and it’s actors and has called for an in-depth and comprehensive inquiry into all communication channels used by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha while keeping him on the Exit Control List (ECL).
In a fiery press conference in Lahore, Marriyum said that the Commissioner is neither a Returning Officer nor Deputy Returning Officer who are responsible for the conducting of elections. has no constitutional responsibility or authority authority in compilation or implementation of the execution of the election.
Marriyum slammed the claims of the Rawalpindi Commissioner that PTI backed candidates had won in all constituencies of Rawalpindi and that their opponents were given a lead of 50,000 votes through rigging. She shared the results of all the constituencies which showed that none of the candidates had won with a lead of 50,000 votes. Raja Usama had won with a lead of 30407 votes; Raja Pervez Ashraf 20718 votes; Qamar-ul-Islam 13530 votes; Aqeel 12218 votes; Abrar Ahmed 11441 votes; Daniyal Chaudhry 26542 votes; Hanif Abbasi 14036 votes; Major Tariq 13437 votes; Sardar Ghulam Abbas 11964 votes; Bilal Azhar Kayani 9474 votes; and Chaudhry Farrukh won by a lead of 4023 votes. This clearly shows that the claims of the Commissioner were fals, she said.
The former Federal Information Minister pointed out, “Liaqat Ali said the army had conducted fair polls but he balmed the Cheif Election Commissioner and the Cheif Justice of Pakistan for rigging in the elections without presenting a single shred of evidence. He did not accuse any RO or DRO, nor did he take any forms or any evidence to the election commission where the results of these constituencies were pending for three days. There were hearings held in the election commission where they invited everyone to present any evidence of rigging, but Liaqat Ali did not show up”.
She recalled how in 2013 elections, Additional Secretary Election Commission Afzal Khan who made exactly the same allegations and demanded resignation of the Cheif Election Commissioner and the Cheif Justice of Pakistan. But when he was called by the inquiry commission, he said it was his perception, and that he had no proof.
“Why is it that Mr Chattha is so sure of rigging and so moved by it that he was planning to commit suicide. But why is it that he had no paper, no document, no phone call, no video, no name, no conversation, absolutely nothing to prove any of the allegations he has leveled against the CEC and CJP”, she questioned.
Marriyum said it was a crucial moment in Pakistan where the nation needed to make a vital decision. ” We need to choose of we want to take this country towards stability, prosperity, progress, and development or we choose to believe the tsunami of lies by the same gang that stole the 2018 elections; destroyed the national economy in four years; wrote letters to IMF not to help Pakistan avoid default; and are now begging the US and the EU to intervene in Pakistan’s internal matters”, she stressed.
She called on the media to understand, verify and investigate claims by anyone before creating a debacle that creates chaos across the nation. When the foreign journalist asked the PTI to share firm 45 they said they do not have original copies and only have screenshots, she told.
“These elements are so toxic that they even forged the press release of the European Union and shared the fake press release on social media shamelessly. The EU had to issue a statement refuting the fake press release”, she pointed out. She called for a through investigation into the phone, texts, banking details, any and every communication channels he has used for the past eight days.
“The people of Pakistan were suffering from financial turmoil. They are struggling to put food on their table. And these agents of chaos and instability are busy pushing people further down the road to anarchy after destroying the economy for 4 years. Every single day they prop up a new fiasco. Why do they go running to the US, and not to the election commission?”, she lashed out.
She said such agents of chaos must be nipped in the bud the day they atta ked PTV and Radio Pakistan. Responsible Pakistanis should shun and dsiscourage this instead of encouraging such behavior with mega exposure and promotion. “The bigger the lie, the better the media coverage” has become the norm and then it is expected that PMLN would add to the chaos as well, but we won’t, she said.
Marriyum lashed out at the disregard for the state of economic crisis in the country and the mindless promotion of false and destructive political narratives by PTI saying, “PMLN is questioned that we don’t have a narrative against the insane lies of PTI. We don’t and we won’t. Because we cannot create a narrative by lying and exposing national secrets, I concede. we cannot create a narrative by lying and selling the interest of the people for political narrative, I concede. we cannot create a narrative by attacking the Parliament, the GHQ, the Jinnah House, Ambulances, and PTV HQs, I concede”.
