ISLAMABAD - Two key members of Pakistan Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday rejected the allegations of PTI Chairman Imran Khan against them regarding rigging of 2013 elections and described these allegations as a pack of lies.
ECP member Justice (retd) Riaz Kayani and Secretary Commission Ishtiak Ahmed Khan in their separate rebuttals issued to the media termed the allegations against them as unfounded and baseless.
Justice (retd) Riaz Kayani, member of the Election Commission of Pakistan, in his rejoinder said that Imran Khan’s allegations against him are a ‘white lie.’
“I can only sympathize with the electors who voted him to National Assembly. Stood tall in the game of cricket has reduced himself to a midget in politics by leveling allegations against me to represent Iteffaq Foundry of Sharif Brothers as their lawyer/empire of PML(N) thence showing proclivity in my professional duties, has given me a rude shock,” he added.
Justice Kayani said he had never been Sharif brothers’ legal adviser, or conducted their cases for any cause in any court or tendered legal opinion.
The member ECP said he was appointed Chairman, High Rise Building, Lahore, by a Division Bench of the Supreme Court after consultation with the Bar in May, 2007 and continued to work up to May, 2009, resigned because of appointment as Federal Law Secretary.
Justice Kayani asked Imran to forget sledging he learnt from the game of cricket.
Meanwhile, Secretary ECP Ishtiak Ahmed also rejected Imran’s allegations terming the same as baseless.
He said that he was granted extension twice said, “Imran Khan in a press briefing created an impression as if two extensions were granted to me twice by the present government after May 11, 2013 Elections. I rebut this as totally false and baseless.”
He said the factual position is otherwise. “Had I been fond of seeking extension in service, I would not have sent a request to the Government for grant of Leave Preparatory to Retirement (LPR) on February 26, 2011, when I decided to leave the government service about eight months before my date of retirement falling on November 04, 2011.”
However, he said, his pre-mature retirement was not accepted by the Government.
He clarified that on reaching the age of retirement during the tenure of the then Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Hamid Ali Mirza, Election Commission sent a summary to the then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on September 12, 2011 for grant of two years extension, which was approved by him on September 16, 2011, notified by Establishment Division on November 01, 2011 and Election Commission on November 03, 2011.
The Secretary said, it is very unfortunate that a leader of major political party has tried to malign him on mere surmises, conjecture and without any evidence.