Election Commission Rejects Allegations Regarding Re-polling in PB-45 Quetta

Quetta:The Election Commission of Pakistan has strongly refuted the allegations made by Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party’s provincial president, Nasrullah Zehri, regarding the voters of the Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-45 Quetta VIII. In a statement issued by the provincial spokesperson, the Election Commission dismissed the claims published in a local newspaper as baseless and unfounded.

The spokesperson clarified that the accusations made in the news article have no factual basis. Further clarification was provided by the Returning Officer for PB-45, Syed Nazir Ahmed, who issued an official statement addressing the concerns raised. According to the Returning Officer, the re-polling that took place on January 5, 2025, across 15 polling stations in PB-45 was completely transparent and conducted in full compliance with the rules. He confirmed that there were no complaints or discrepancies reported regarding any polling station or voter list.

In his explanation, the Returning Officer noted that during the general elections of 2024, three polling stations had been established in each of five buildings. However, in accordance with the Election Tribunal’s directives, only two polling stations were held in each of these buildings for the January 5, 2025, re-polling. Similarly, in four other buildings, two polling stations were set up, but only one polling station per building was used for the re-polling.

The Returning Officer also addressed the allegations regarding the appointment of private individuals as polling staff, stating that these claims were completely unfounded and had no basis in reality.

The Election Commission emphasized that the entire electoral process was carried out in a fair, transparent, and lawful manner, and it reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.

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