The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday asked the PTI to nominate its own members, who were part of the Ali Haider Gilani video scandal, in a petition seeking disqualification of senator-elect Yousaf Raza Gilani, a private TV channel reported.
A four-member panel headed by Justice (r) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi heard the petition. The ruling party was represented in the hearing by Barrister Ali Zafar.
“The one who offered the bribe and the ones who received them, both are involved in this matter. We can’t make only the one who offered the bribe a party to the case,” Justice (r) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi said while hearing the case.
Barrister Ali Zafar argued that the government is represented in the National Assembly by 180 members while the opposition only has 160 members, arguing that based on these numbers alone, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh should have won the contest. “Votes were being bought with money and party tickets before the elections took place,” claimed the PTI lawyer. “In the video from March 2, the candidate’s son, Ali Haider Gilani, can be allegedly seen offering bribes to buy votes.”
Zafar said that Gilani can be heard in the video, telling PTI lawmakers to cancel their votes. To that, Justice (r) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi asked Zafar whether he knew the PTI lawmakers in the video. “Didn’t you think it necessary to make those who can be seen in the video (PTI lawmakers) parties to the case as well?” asked Qureshi, stating that the commission does not recognise these members by face.
“The persons in the video should not be made parties to the case,” answered the PTI lawyer. “You’re saying these people took bribes. Their affidavits should have been attached with the petition by now,” responded the ECP probe head, adding that those involved in the video scandal should have issued statements by now to confirm that they were indeed offered bribes.
Zafar said that in one of the videos, Rs50 to 60 million were offered as bribes for lawmakers in exchange for votes in the Senate elections, adding that besides that amount, funds totaling Rs100m for development works in constituencies were also offered. The ECP urged Zafar to make all persons involved in the video scandal a party to the case, adding that if the charges of giving and receiving bribes are proven, then action should be taken against all the culprits. “Prepare the petition in the correct manner, gather the evidence. Why will we not take action on it [then]?” Qureshi said, asking Zafar why the ruling party, in its petition, is reluctant to name those who allegedly received bribes. The ECP observed that the video of Ali Haider Gilani, wherein he is seen telling PTI MNAs about the techniques to waste their votes, doesn’t have any mention of money or Senate tickets. Zafar said that Ali Haider was seen in the March 2 video telling PTI’s Captian (r) Jameel and Faheem about the techniques to waste their votes. The fact is, he added, that a sting operation was carried out against Ali Haider. “The commission had taken notice of the leaked footage and issued a press statement in this regard.” Qureshi said, “We want to advance on this matter with a rationale and not on the basis of emotions. You may provide us names of the 16 persons being accused, along with other material, and make the persons concerned a party in the case.” The video, he observed, seems a matter related to marked ballot papers. “How would someone exercise their right to vote using a marked ballot paper,” he asked. The ECP member expressed displeasure at the use of the term turncoat, saying those giving or taking bribes are guilty of a crime. “Those offered money should submit a statement on oath; action would have been taken had the PTI members in the video submitted a statement on oath.”
ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the commission wants to take action, but it needs tangible evidence to do so. Nisar Durrani asked, “Can the [legitimacy of] the video be accepted without a forensic.” At this, PTI’s counsel said that Ali Haider hasn’t termed the video fake and he accepted his role in a presser. The PTI lawyer pointed out that PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz, during a recent public speech, said that the PML-N ticket, and not money, worked in Senate elections. “What she meant by that was … you vote for us and we will give you the ticket in the next elections,” alleged Zafar.
However, the ECP chief did not agree with Zafar’s interpretation of the PML-N leader’s speech. “She said the ticket was successful, not that they would issue any ticket to anyone,” he said, urging the PTI lawyer to bring forth concrete evidence.
ECP commission head Altaf Qureshi reminded the PTI lawyer that if the ruling party brings concrete evidence to prove its claims, then the commission will take action. “Any decision that goes in your favour cannot be classified as a just one,” he said. “We want justice to be seen to be done. Retract this petition and file a new one,” he instructed Zafar. The PTI lawyer agreed to include the names of PTI members who were involved in the video. news desk
