RAWALPINDI: Former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha retracted all his allegations related to election rigging and said he was “extremely ashamed, embarrassed” and claimed that he took the step in coordination with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader. . .
“I accept full responsibility for my actions and surrender to the authorities for any legal action,” Chatha said in a statement to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In a dramatic development last Saturday, Chatha tendered his resignation, which he said was a “guilty conscience” for aiding large-scale electoral rigging in the garrison city, further raising the country’s political mercury.
In a rare press conference, the commissioner claimed responsibility for the “manipulation” he claimed took place in the Rawalpindi division. “We turned losers into winners with a margin of 50,000 votes,” he said.
In response to his allegations, the PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and other political parties – most of which have already rejected the election results – demanded an inquiry into the matter.
In the same press, Chata also accused Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa of aiding manipulation. Responding to his allegations, CJP Isa asked the former commissioner to produce evidence to support his allegations against him.
However, Chatha retracted his allegations and revealed that it was all done in coordination with the Imran Khan-based PTI, which also gave him “lucrative positions for me in the future”.
Chatha, who has been a civil servant for 32 years, said in a statement that after the 2018 elections, when the PTI formed the government in Punjab, he remained in senior provincial posts, including provincial secretary to the Punjab government.
“The position of secretary is one of the highest positions in the provincial government. When I was appointed as the Provincial Secretary, I was given the opportunity to develop relationships with senior and prominent political figures of the PTI.
Chatha said that he developed a cordial personal friendship with one of the top PTI leaders during PTI’s tenure in power.
He said that after the May 9, 2023 incident, like other PTI leadership, the said prominent leader also absconded from the courts, was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) and is in hiding.
“I was in direct contact with him the whole time and continued to help him subtly in various matters. Consequently, my relationship with the said prominent PTI leader developed into a very close friendship based on a high level of trust.
The statement said Chatha “secretly and discreetly traveled to Lahore” after the February 8 elections to meet the PTI leader on February 11.
“It was at this meeting that he offered me that if I played a role in furthering PTI’s continued narrative of rigging elections and defaming state institutions, he would secure a lucrative position for me in the future.”
Chatha said the PTI leader told him that the entire planning was formulated after consultation and approval of the PTI senior leadership.
“This proposal was made by the said individual in view of the fact that I was about to retire from the service. He was also aware that I was under pressure due to my upcoming retirement. After remaining part of the services for 32 years, it is naturally difficult for any civil servant to give up all the benefits, privileges and powers.”
Chatha told the ECP that he had a detailed discussion on the proposed press conference and was informed that a general direction should be taken.
“I originally proposed that I would write the full story and submit it as part of my resignation. However, the said prominent PTI leader dropped the proposal as such a written resignation would not create any sensation for their narrative construction,” he said.
After detailed discussions, he said, it was agreed to hold the press conference at a time and date to be communicated after consultation and approval of PTI senior leadership.
The primary objective of this proposed press conference, Chatha said, was to create sensation and drama by spreading fake stories built by the PTI.
Similarly, Chatha said, it was agreed that he would give sweeping and emotional statements when he suggested that all the seats had been won by PTI candidates and that he had helped swing the entire results against the PTI. “Anyone with knowledge of the electoral process would know that such/extensive shifts cannot be done by Returning Officers (ROs) in elections. However, these generalized statements were considered sufficient for the purpose of creating a damaging narrative.’
Chatha said that with the same intention to create drama and sensation, he declared during the press conference that he had tried to commit suicide and that he should be hanged in public.
“These were well-thought-out statements made with the specific aim of creating drama and sensationalism, and that aim was largely achieved.”
He went on to note that CJP Isa’s name was adopted with the aim of instilling distrust in him among the general public. “The Chief Justice had no role in the entire election process.
“However, I was specifically asked by a prominent PTI leader to appoint the CJP. He told me that he was specifically asked to do so by his top management. The objectives behind naming the CJP were varied.”
Similarly, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja has been appointed to raise questions about the entire electoral process across Pakistan, he said.
Moreover, the former commissioner said he was addressing reporters on February 17 when PTI called for nationwide anti-counterfeiting protests as part of the plan.
“Finally, I feel extremely ashamed and embarrassed for making a totally false, fabricated, anti-state and malicious statement in a press conference. This activity has brought shame on me and the entire bureaucratic fraternity,” he added.
