In a dramatic development, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaqat Ali Chatha Saturday tendered his resignation, which he said was out of “guilty conscience” for abetting large-scale electoral rigging in the garrison city further raising the political mercury in the country.
Addressing a press conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Chatha announced to step down from his position, admitting he did injustice to the people of his city.
The Rawalpindi Division comprises 13 National Assembly seats, on which 11 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates were successful, while the rest were secured by an independent candidate and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The division also has 27 provincial seats — on which PML-N was successful on 15 and 11 independents.
Following his startling revelations, police first said that he was arrested, but later Rawalpindi police spokesperson rejected claims that the top official had been taken into custody.
The commissioner, in the rare press conference, took responsibility for the “rigging” that he claimed took place in Rawalpindi Division. “We converted the losers into winners with 50,000 votes margin,” he stated, surrendering himself before the authorities.
“I apologise to the returning officers of my division,” he said, adding that his subordinates were crying about what they were directed to do.
Chatha claimed that even today, the election staff are affixing fake stamps on the ballot papers. “We wronged the country […] I should be executed at Rawalpindi’s Kachehri Chowk” he lamented.
Stressing that he was under pressure from social media and overseas Pakistanis, the official revealed that he even attempted suicide this morning.
“It is not unknown who is committing such wrongdoing and who’s behind it. “13 National Assembly candidates, who were losing, were made to win by a margin of up to 70,000 votes,” he added.
