Polls rigged in pre-poll phase, say Pak candidates

RIGGED POLLS? It has been alleged that fake voters were registered and ghost polling stations set up.

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New Delhi: One of the biggest fears that surround Pakistan’s general elections on Monday is that of the government having rigged the polls.

Most people who have accused the government of massive rigging said that much of it was done in the pre-poll phase.

Candidates were allegedly helped by local administrations. Voter lists were doctored with many fake names being added to it. There are also allegations that ghost-polling stations were being set up.

The Election Commission has denied these allegations.

The forthcoming Pak polls are also under intense international scrutiny, particularly from America. Three US senators are travelling to Pakistan for observing the election processes, reported The Daily Times. They include Joseph Biden, who had been in the US presidential race, Chuck Hagel and former Democrat presidential nominee, John Kerry.

While hundreds of foreign observers are already in Pakistan, the government expects their numbers to swell up to a thousand. The observers are permitted to visit various parts of the country except for very sensitive places. The Election Commission has declared over 26,000 polling booths out of 64,000 as sensitive.

Meanwhile, some campaigning has followed American lines when 19-year-old Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appeared in television advertisements, asking people to vote for the PPP and extending the PPP campaign’s reach to more cities and villages. Reports say that Bilawal may show up to vote, as well.

The PPP’s campaign has been led from the grave, with late leader Benazir Bhutto’s speeches being the focus at all campaign rallies.