The parties cited reason to be non-provision of Form 46 and counterfoil of ballot papers not being checked
KARACHI: All parties, except the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and independent candidates seeking recounting in the NA-249 constituency boycotted the process on Wednesday over non-provision of Form 46 and counterfoil of ballot papers not being checked.
In a letter addressed to the returning officer (RO), the parties maintained that, “For want of non-provision of Form 46 and denial to allow access to the counterfoil of ballot paper, we cannot participate in [the] subject proceedings.”
The signatories to the letter included the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Pasban and others.
The parties pointed out in the letter that, “…the first bag [of ballot papers] lying on [the] table was without a seal,” adding that all parties were boycotting the recount “under this attitude”.
The aggrieved parties maintained that there was no precedent of recounting being conducted without the empty ballots being counted, or Form 46 and counterfoil signatures or seals not being checked.
According to PML-N’s Miftah Ismail, “All ballot bags were unsealed when [they] reached [the] RO office.” He also alleged that 167 forms did not have signatures of the presiding officers.
According to PTI’s Amjad Iqbal Afridi, the by-poll had been “planned”. He said they were not being provided with Form 46, adding that the party will not let the PPP influence results. “There should be a re-poll in the constituency,” he maintained.
PSP’s Hafeezuddin accused the ROs of siding with those who rigged the polls. The ECP reportedly contacted the boycotting lawmakers, but they refused to be a part of the process.
