Rigging confessions come to light in videos

[Leader]

Rigging confessions come to light in videos


Army, Rangers, police present during recordings on May 11; high-level probe needed; Sabzwari says videos are fake and part of campaign to marginalise MQM; accuses PTI, PML-N of rigging


Startling evidence has come to light, collected by the Police and Rangers, in shape of videos and interviews, which points to massive rigging in many Karachi constituencies, where the PTI of Imran Khan was winning but another party grabbed the seats.

This evidence, seen by this reporter, in shape of videos and interview of some of the polling stations staff who were arrested and who confessed to their crime, is now available with ‘The News’ and gives graphic details of what happened that day.

But what is surprising is that all those, who were arrested and interviewed, were, according to one agency, handed over to the police, but the police say they do not have any record and do not have these persons. So they are always missing, in a way.

In these recorded interviews a presiding officer stated on camera in the presence of top Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) officials, while giving an interview to media persons (an interview which was never aired): “I was ordered that the MQM should not only win but it must be given a lead of at least 200 to 250 votes on his polling station.”

In some cases, the LEAs apprehended the criminals red-handed along with ballot papers, stamps and then also arrested the polling staff. All of them then made statements on camera, in presence of top police and Rangers officials and explained what was happening in the entire city of Karachi on the evening of May 11.

Presiding officers are shown making statements in presence of top officials of police, Rangers and Army within the polling station, during the polling or the counting process during some raids.

Top MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari termed these videos and evidence showing how the MQM rigged whole election process on May 11 as a part of the campaign underway to marginalise the Muttahida.

He said that all such videos are fake and as a matter of fact the MQM faced worst rigging on the polling day. He said even in his constituency in Sohrab Goth and in some other areas armed men belonging to the PML-N and PTI attacked MQM polling agents and didn’t allow them to function.

Sabzwari said the PTI tried its best to rig the elections but the MQM finally won. He said massive rigging was carried out by the PTI in NA-250. He said that polling was delayed there for this purpose.

He said such attempt of leaking videos is shameful as the MQM won May 11 polls through a landslide victory. He said that this fact was proved on by-polling day when elections were carried out in presence of the Army inside and outside the polling station when the MQM again swept the elections.

Other MQM sources say this is all a concocted conspiracy against the party and there are no such videos or arrests on record. The party is expected to deny the whole story vociferously.

But since many Army, Rangers and police officials are also present during these interviews, any investigating authority, the Supreme Court, the ECP, FIA or any one, can ask these officers about the veracity of these tapes.Sources said these tapes and confessions may also be uploaded on the facebook and Internet soon.

In some instances, presiding officers reveal that Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) had won from their polling station but MQM activists who raided the polling stations ordered counting of votes by excluding ballot papers bearing stamps on symbol of the PTI.

Not only this, according to this official video evidence, ballot paper books were forcibly taken from almost all the polling stations of the city and later stamped ballot papers on the MQM election symbol “kite” were put into ballot boxes.

Only in a few cases, the Rangers and Army raided along with police and arrested MQM activists who unearthed the whole game plan.It is, however, disturbing that neither any forceful action was immediately taken by the LEAs against the party nor the evidence was shared with the ECP, the Supreme Court or public.

There has been a demand by many political parties for thumb impression verification in all National Assembly and provincial assembly constituencies of Karachi. The PTI was also demanding thumb impression verification in four constituencies. However, this demand was being linked to process of hearing of election appeals in the Election Tribunals. Top legal and constitutional experts, however, disagree with this stance.

Videos present in official custody show MQM activists narrating the whole system under which the election process was rigged. Orders were coming from Nine-Zero to sectors, then to units and then units were forwarding the same orders in form of letters containing details of polling stations, polling staff and their contact numbers to election cells made in “blocks” and “circles” of the MQM.

One Salman Sami, data control officer in KESC (son of a journalist Muhammad Sami, ex-employee of KESC and presently chief reporter of one daily Anjam, Karachi) having a bachelor degree, resident of Tariq Road, Block-II, PECHS, working for the MQM for two and a half years in Unit-60 and sector “society” of the organisation was also arrested. He is a committee member in the unit and in-charge of his circle. There was only one polling station in his Circle-1 called PECHS Foundation.

Translation of his statement before LEAs is: “I was working in my circle on polling day and received a call from Umar Raza who called me to Union Club polling station situated in Circle-2 where one Adnan and some others were also present with Umar and were speaking to presiding officer outside the polling room. Later, the presiding officer went inside the polling station. After some time Umar asked me to go inside the polling station and ask the presiding officer to come out. I went but he refused to come out. After some time, Umar again asked me to do the same. This time when I went inside, the presiding officer in a fright gave me two ballot paper books, one green and another white and two stamps in a cloth sac. I took the books from him and came out. Then we all came to a plot owned by one Imran Rezzi with all this.”On being inquired, Salman Sami stated that this plot is adjacent to the residence of “Wassim Akhtar Bhai”.

“After reaching there, I went from there to attend my own polling station in Circle-1. After half an hour, I again received call from Umar who asked me to again reach in Circle-2. After reaching there, the place was raided by you. We have to stamp on symbol of the MQM, “Kite”, have to sign some papers and then to put all these stamped ballot papers in the ballot boxes in concerned polling station,” Salman Sami stated.

One Adnan Hassan s/o Abid Hassan, education under matric, working with the MQM at “small level” also made similar statement and admitted stamping symbol of “Kite” on ballot papers just before his arrest on the evening of May 11, 2013.

One Muhammad Umar (Umar Raza) s/o Muhammad Ibrahim, resident of Gulbahar, graduate, working for the MQM since 2008 was also arrested. He joined MQM’s Unit-189 but later came to Unit-60. He is a committee member and also caretaker head of election cell for Unit-60.

He said that units were receiving all instruction from sector. Umar stated: “Sector orders unit and unit orders to blocks and circles. Mustijaab Bhai is in-charge of “sector” Society. We had taken books of ballot papers from Adil Farooqi. Farooqi initially refused, then said please stamp ballot papers book within the boundary of polling station but we requested him to give us and we will return later after stamping as there was rush there.”

“Sector gave us information about polling stations and staff working there. We were given letter by the our sector containing details of polling stations and staff appointed there along with the contact details of the staff. The letter given to me by my sector in-charge Mustijaab Bhai contained names of Aminur Rehman (PECHS Girls College), Khursheed (PECHS school), Abbas (PECHS Girls College) and Adil Farooqi. When we contacted polling staff before polling they had replied that giving ballot paper books would be difficult but they will fully help within polling station,” Umar said.There are many other videos giving details of other areas and units and how the MQM activists controlled the whole polling process to get a landslide victory in Karachi on May 11, 2013.

Rigging confessions come to light in videos - thenews.com.pk