Senior Pakistani official admits helping to rig elections

Protests over the results of Pakistan's national elections in Quetta on February 17 Photo: BANARAS KHAN/AFP

A senior Pakistani official admitted on Saturday, that he helped rig the country's elections, a week after polls marred by allegations of manipulation showed no clear winner.

Liaquat Ali Chatta, commissioner of the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where the country's powerful military is headquartered , said he would hand himself over to the police.

After the authorities shut down, allegations of voter fraud spread widely. On election day, the country's mobile phone network was connected and the count took more than 24 hours.

The army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which fell short of a majority, announced a partnership with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). and several smaller parties will form the next government.

Mr Chatta said he personally supervised vote rigging in Rawalpindi before leaving office.

“We turned losers into winners by changing the margin of 70,000 votes in 13 seats in the National Assembly,” he told reporters. .

Protest against alleged fraud in the general elections in Islamabad on February 17 Photo: SOHAIL SHAHZAD/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock

“For committing such a heinous crime, I will hand myself over to the police,” he said, also referring to the head of the Election Commission and the country's chief judge.

The Election Commission rejected Mr. Chatta's charges. but said in a statement that it would «investigate.»

Leading human rights group Pakistan Human Rights Commission said after Chatta's statement that «government bureaucracy's involvement in shenanigans in Pakistan is beginning

Candidates The PML-N and PPP claimed the majority of seats in Rawalpindi, sidelining candidates loyal to jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the target of a widespread crackdown.

p>Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party announced it would hold nationwide protests on Saturday against alleged rigging.

PTI has defied months of crackdown that have destroyed its campaign and forced candidates to run as independents. gets more votes than any other party.

However, it is unwilling to enter into a coalition with its opponents, which opens the door for the PML-N to form the next government.