October 17, 2022
KARACHI: Responding to rigging allegations by PTI Chairman Imran Khan related to the NA-237 by-elections that took place Sunday, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s provincial commissioner in Sindh Aijaz Anwer Chohan said that he strongly condemns Khan’s accusations.
Khan alleged that Sindh's election commissioner was on the "provincial government's payroll" as he rejected the polls and demanded re-election.
Commenting on the allegations made by Khan while speaking to Geo News, Chohan said: “The ECP ensured better arrangements for free and fair elections in Malir and Korangi. The elections went well in both the constituencies."
The provincial election commissioner for Sindh further reminded PTI leader and former minister Fawad Chaudhry’s remarks in which he commended ECP’s arrangements as overall satisfactory and peaceful.
Chohan further said Malir’s by-polls were “100% free and fair” and claimed that more votes were cast in the constituency.
Earlier today, during a press conference, Khan claimed that rigging was the reason behind his loss in Karachi's NA-237 Malir-II by-polls. Khan was beaten by PPP candidate Abdul Hakeem Baloch by nearly 10,000 votes.
Baloch received 32,567 votes, while Khan only managed to obtain 22,493.
Khan said: “Sindh’s election commissioner was on the provincial government’s payroll. We reject [Malir's] by-election and demand re-election. The PPP swung the polls to their advantage through indiscriminate rigging," Khan alleged.
He said the nation had rejected this legislature as well as this government and wanted new polls across the country.