Rawalpindi : Feb 17: Pakistan ‘s February 8 election was already under fire due to allegations of ‘Mandate theft” and votes rigging and this campaign was looking to go on as its organisers seemed to make this election last resort to put Pakistan’s stability at risk when Commmissioner Rawalpindi , Liaqat Hussain Chatha , came before the media on Saturday noon to concede that he ordered to stuff 70 thousands votes in the national assembly election to convert independent candidates of a particular political party into a defeat .
Liaqat Hussain Chatha ‘s confession of wrongdoings in general election of Pakistan is perhaps an unprecedented one in Pakistan’s 76 history . Rather , it may be difficult, if not possible, to find any such confession of a senior bureaucrat regarding changing election’s results of a lower house of the parliament into defeat by stuffing fake votes in thousands of number. What Liaqat Hussain Chatha confessed in his press conference is next to digest and its repercussions will be perhaps more dangerous not only for this government officer and many others but also for Pakistan’s fragile democratic system . Liaqat Hussain Chatha’s confession falls under serious breach of Secret Act of Pakistan. Now question arises what allured Liaqat Hussain Chatha to go for this extremely dangerous and shocking confession?. Another question which will haunt Liaqat Hussain Chatha is why he did not resign before committing highly unlawful and unconstitutional act of ordering his junior officers and those staff who conducted February 8 elections. He should have also taken courage and tell the nation who ordered him for rigging in the election?.
Liaqat Hussain Chatha’s statement that he seriously thought to commit suicide for committing the crime of ordering rigging in February 8 ,2024 is more than a serious utterance . His statement of considering to take his own life after committing the crime of converting potential win of the.candidates of a particular political party into defeat of those whom the public voted for should be investigated thoroughly and put its finding before the nation as early as possible .
There is also need to check if Liaqat Hussain Chatha had any link with any political party ,in particular , with Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) which is sole beneficiary of his confessional statement . In any case , Liaqat Hussain Chatha should be immediately taken into custody and he should be charged with anti state activity as government officer under the State Act for committing the crime of unlawfully ordering change of the Election results. Its responsibility of the state to put the facts in his case before the people of this country before it gets too late for Pakistan and its democratic system .
