Ex- CS Punjab records statement before JC, shows ignorance over extra ballot printing

ISLAMABAD: Former Chief Secretary Punjab, Javed Iqbal on Wednesday appeared before the Judicial Commission (JC), which is investigating into the alleged poll rigging, and recorded his statement.

The JC met here under the chair of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk. The arguments over the statement of the first witness were completed in today’s proceedings as Javed Iqbal showed his ignorance over the extra publication of ballot papers.

In his statement, Iqbal said, “I am unaware about extra ballot papers as the Punjab government had dispatched printing material to constituencies under the supervision of the Army.”

He said they had also lodged a protest with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for delay in receiving polling material at some constituencies.

He further said he had received a request from the ECP for the services of 200 printing workers through former Additional Chief Secretary Rao Iftikhar.

Iqbal went on to say that Provincial Election Commissioner Anwar Mehboob had said that services of these printing workers could easily be availed from Urdu Bazaar.

However, the former CS said he could not say whether the request was something normal or not. He also showed his ignorance about provision of services of these 200 printing workers.

During the proceedings, a video clip of a TV programme aired in August 2013 about the statement of Rao Iftikhar was played. In this video, Rao had accepted that the services of 200 people were granted.