Video exposes poll rigging in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Though Monday's general elections were considered largely free and fair, an independent TV channel has aired a videotape unmasking rigging in some voting booths.

The Geo News Friday aired the video that shows scenes of rigging in two polling stations of Karachi and Lahore, The News said Saturday.

"In one of the scenes, some armed persons were (seen) tearing ballot papers and were stuffing ballot boxes for their favourite candidate at a polling station. One of the women at the polling station was heard saying to one of the armed persons to take his rifle away," the newspaper said.

An unidentified female polling officer was also heard saying the armed persons harassed them at the gunpoint and bogus votes were polled after occupying the polling station.

The video showed the armed people tearing ballot papers from a book and besides putting their thumb impression, stamping on the symbol of their favourite candidate.

At one of the polling stations, the seal of the ballot box had been broken and an unidentified man was looking into it after removing the cover, said The News.

The video showed that bogus votes were also cast at one of the polling stations in PP-152 constituency of Lahore.

Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said he did not watch the video but asked it bhe sent to him so that he could take a decision in this regard.