Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha has resigned from his position and made allegations that the February 8 general election results were manipulated under his watch. He claimed that independent candidates with significant leads were made to lose through the use of fake stamps. Chatha also alleged the involvement of the chief election commissioner and a top judge of the Supreme Court in the manipulation. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) strongly rejected these allegations.
The ECP clarified that divisional commissioners do not play a direct role in the conduct of elections and ordered an inquiry into Chatha’s claims. Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi also ordered an impartial probe into the matter.
Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir rejected Chatha’s claims and questioned their timing, suggesting that the commissioner may be aiming to kick start a political career after his retirement on March 13. The PML-N also viewed Chatha’s statements as an attempt to gain popularity through irresponsible claims.
Following Chatha’s resignation, the Rawalpindi police refuted reports of his arrest. Meanwhile, PTI’s Khurrum Sher Zaman commended Chatha for his courage and hoped that other commissioners would also expose election rigging. An expert clarified that while the Commissioner does not have an official role in the conduct of elections, he may have unofficial influence due to his administrative authority over the district officers.