A senior Pakistani politician, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, elected in the recent provincial elections in Karachi, Pakistan, has voluntarily relinquished his seat, citing allegations of vote rigging in his favor.
The elections, held on February 8, were marred by accusations of manipulation aimed at defeating independent candidates supported by incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as reported by Reuters.
Rehman, representing the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, emerged victorious in provincial seat 129 in Karachi with over 26,000 votes. However, he alleges discrepancies in the tabulation process, revealing a significant reduction in votes cast for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed independent candidate, Saif Bari.
Initially recorded at 31,000 votes, Bari’s count dwindled to 11,000 when polling station records were examined.
Imran Khan, currently imprisoned on corruption and criminal charges following a fallout with the country’s influential military, saw his PTI party barred from participating in the elections, compelling its members to contest as independents.
Despite Khan’s party’s absence, accusations of political interference persist, vehemently denied by the military.
Expressing his stance, Rehman emphasized the importance of upholding public opinion and the integrity of electoral processes.
“Let the winner win, let the loser lose, no one should get anything extra,” he stated in an interview with Reuters, emphasing his refusal to accept an unjust victory.
While Saif Bari and the PTI refrained from immediate comments, the election commission, responsible for overseeing the electoral procedures, remained silent on the matter pending further inquiries into the allegations.
