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Nadra chairman removed before CEC’s visit to HQ
National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) chairman was removed (later reinstated by the court) from his post ahead of new acting Chief Election Commissioner’s (CEC) visit to Nadra headquarters to get a briefing on votes verification process particularly of Lahore constituencies from where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidates have won, The News has learnt.
The sources said that new acting CEC was to visit Nadra to see how transparently the authority was verifying the votes cast in May 11 general and coincidentally, Nadra was verifying the votes of Lahore constituencies sent to it by the election tribunals to resolve the election disputes and to verify if any rigging had taken place.
At present, Nadra is verifying votes of NA-118 Lahore-I from where Mian Riaz of PML-N was declared successful. The next constituencies would be of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq who beat PTI chief Imran Khan, and of Khawaja Saad Rafique who defeated Hamid Khan of PTI.
The sources said that Nadra chief was called by Punjab government in a meeting being chaired by the chief minister but Tariq Malik was left at the mercy of Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah who, on the sidelines, only once asked Nadra chairman about the votes’ verification process. When Tariq Malik told the minister that it was the software that verifies the votes and not the Nadra employees, the topic was changed, the sources added.
The sources said that the PML-N was okay with votes verification done on courts’ orders by Nadra but only when the constituencies were of Sindh but once Punjab’s turn came, panic started among PML-N ranks.
The sources added that a few meetings were held in National Assembly chambers where the mode to handle Tariq Malik was discussed and on Tuesday morning, Nadra chairman was sent home only to be rescued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The sources said that Nadra had prepared a device for electronic voting and the new CEC was to be given a demonstration of this machine and subject to CEC’s approval, e-voting could have been launched in the country but sacking of Nadra chairman and later his reinstatement by court was a message from the quarters concerned that they did not want e-voting in the local bodies election.
The sources said that the sacking and reinstatement of Nadra chairman drama had given room to PML-N to make controversial the votes’ verification process in Punjab constituencies and if any adverse report came, it could easily be termed a vindictive policy of the Nadra chairman.
It is worth mentioning here when the election tribunals ordered Nadra to verify the votes of the Punjab constituencies, Nadra chairman received a threatening anonymous letter posted to him from a post office in sector F-8 of Islamabad.
This letter was handed over to the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of interior minister where it had been dumped.
Similarly, at least three threatening calls were made on his cell number and the addresses of those in whose names the SIMs were registered were also handed over to NCMC but to no avail.
Of late, the government opted to sack Nadra chairman. There was no official word from the government but the media was only conveyed that the government could terminate the contract of Nadra chairman under the laws. No laws were quoted.
Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik when contacted refused to comment on the issue saying his case was in the court.The Interior Ministry acknowledged the threats to Nadra chairman and forwarded its official letter bearing No. 12/15/2013 (SC)-4054 dated 23rd November, 2013 in which the security threat to Nadra chairman were conveyed to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB). The Interior Ministry’s letter was issued by Naseem-ul-Haq Hashmi, Director (Security) and the ISI and IB were requested to conduct discreet investigation on priority.
Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan on floor of Parliament on Thursday said that the government was not afraid of votes’ verification and was ready to hand the process over to Justice Wajihiuddin Ahmad. He said that the magnetic ink was not used in May 11 election and over this, the Election Commission should be asked. Nisar said that the government was ready to verify votes cast in all the 272 constituencies of National Assembly instead of just 40. Nisar said that Nadra chairman was removed on technical grounds as he was appointed in relaxation of rules.
Nadra chairman removed before CEC’s visit to HQ - thenews.com.pk
it clearly shows mala fide intention of pmln. they know they will be caught with their pants down !!
National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) chairman was removed (later reinstated by the court) from his post ahead of new acting Chief Election Commissioner’s (CEC) visit to Nadra headquarters to get a briefing on votes verification process particularly of Lahore constituencies from where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidates have won, The News has learnt.
The sources said that new acting CEC was to visit Nadra to see how transparently the authority was verifying the votes cast in May 11 general and coincidentally, Nadra was verifying the votes of Lahore constituencies sent to it by the election tribunals to resolve the election disputes and to verify if any rigging had taken place.
At present, Nadra is verifying votes of NA-118 Lahore-I from where Mian Riaz of PML-N was declared successful. The next constituencies would be of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq who beat PTI chief Imran Khan, and of Khawaja Saad Rafique who defeated Hamid Khan of PTI.
The sources said that Nadra chief was called by Punjab government in a meeting being chaired by the chief minister but Tariq Malik was left at the mercy of Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah who, on the sidelines, only once asked Nadra chairman about the votes’ verification process. When Tariq Malik told the minister that it was the software that verifies the votes and not the Nadra employees, the topic was changed, the sources added.
The sources said that the PML-N was okay with votes verification done on courts’ orders by Nadra but only when the constituencies were of Sindh but once Punjab’s turn came, panic started among PML-N ranks.
The sources added that a few meetings were held in National Assembly chambers where the mode to handle Tariq Malik was discussed and on Tuesday morning, Nadra chairman was sent home only to be rescued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The sources said that Nadra had prepared a device for electronic voting and the new CEC was to be given a demonstration of this machine and subject to CEC’s approval, e-voting could have been launched in the country but sacking of Nadra chairman and later his reinstatement by court was a message from the quarters concerned that they did not want e-voting in the local bodies election.
The sources said that the sacking and reinstatement of Nadra chairman drama had given room to PML-N to make controversial the votes’ verification process in Punjab constituencies and if any adverse report came, it could easily be termed a vindictive policy of the Nadra chairman.
It is worth mentioning here when the election tribunals ordered Nadra to verify the votes of the Punjab constituencies, Nadra chairman received a threatening anonymous letter posted to him from a post office in sector F-8 of Islamabad.
This letter was handed over to the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of interior minister where it had been dumped.
Similarly, at least three threatening calls were made on his cell number and the addresses of those in whose names the SIMs were registered were also handed over to NCMC but to no avail.
Of late, the government opted to sack Nadra chairman. There was no official word from the government but the media was only conveyed that the government could terminate the contract of Nadra chairman under the laws. No laws were quoted.
Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik when contacted refused to comment on the issue saying his case was in the court.The Interior Ministry acknowledged the threats to Nadra chairman and forwarded its official letter bearing No. 12/15/2013 (SC)-4054 dated 23rd November, 2013 in which the security threat to Nadra chairman were conveyed to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB). The Interior Ministry’s letter was issued by Naseem-ul-Haq Hashmi, Director (Security) and the ISI and IB were requested to conduct discreet investigation on priority.
Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan on floor of Parliament on Thursday said that the government was not afraid of votes’ verification and was ready to hand the process over to Justice Wajihiuddin Ahmad. He said that the magnetic ink was not used in May 11 election and over this, the Election Commission should be asked. Nisar said that the government was ready to verify votes cast in all the 272 constituencies of National Assembly instead of just 40. Nisar said that Nadra chairman was removed on technical grounds as he was appointed in relaxation of rules.
Nadra chairman removed before CEC’s visit to HQ - thenews.com.pk
it clearly shows mala fide intention of pmln. they know they will be caught with their pants down !!
