PTI leader Hammad Azhar on Saturday claimed that Form 45s are missing from the election material provided to presiding officers by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ahead of tomorrow’s by-election in Lahore’s NA-129 constituency.
The by-election is being held after the seat fell vacant in July following the death of Azhar’s father, Mian Azhar.
In a post on X, Hammad said: “We are receiving reports that multiple presiding officers are missing Form 45s in the election materials they have received from ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan) for the by-elections of tomorrow. This is a serious violation of the electoral process.”
The alarm came after he had earlier issued “important instructions” for his party’s polling agents about the forms.
“When the bags containing election materials are opened in the morning, make sure that the Forms 45 and Forms 46 in them are blank and shown to you. This is most important.”
The PTI leader stressed the importance of the polling agents’ presence during the polling and the counting processes. “The polling boxes must not be out of sight at any moment.”
Hammad further told the agents that it was their “right to obtain the Form-45 [filled] as per the count”, and that any staff who obstructed this would be liable to strict legal punishment.
He directed all PTI workers at the party camps outside the polling stations to remain there after the polling had ended and “peacefully follow the presiding officer to the returning officer’s (RO) office”.
A candidate or their election agent can appoint “as many polling agents as may be prescribed” for each polling station to observe the process on behalf of the candidate under the Elections Act 2017.
In another post, Hammad also gave a message to the presiding officers and the polling staff, urging them not to indulge in any “illegal act”.
“We are aware that you are being frightened and threatened,” the PTI leader claimed, adding that those who were allegedly doing so were “finding immunity for themselves, buying property abroad and moving their families there”.
“They will push you into [carrying out] unconstitutional actions and flee themselves,” Hammad contended.
“Be careful! Do not put yourself in difficulty by taking any serious and illegal action at the behest of any intruder,” the PTI leader said, urging them to fulfil their duty.
The NA-129 seat is being contested by Mian Azhar’s nephew Chaudhry Arsalan Ahmad — nominated by Hammad, who himself is absconding as he is wanted by the state in different cases.
Hafiz Mian Nauman, who was defeated by Mian Azhar by a margin of over 30,000 votes in the 2024 elections, is once again the PML-N’s candidate.
The PTI has accused the PML-N’s Punjab government of employing rigging tactics in support of its candidate in the NA-129 by-poll.
Yesterday, Hammad said officials of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) were appointed as presiding officers for the polls contested by Nauman, who has served as chairman of the Lesco Board of Directors.
Lesco Chief Executive Officer Ramzan Butt, however, rebutted Hammad’s post, stating that the appointments were the decision of the ECP and not Lesco or any other government organisation.
Before the election campaign could pick up, the local police officials, caught on video footage, were seen removing banners of the PTI candidate.
Similar to the situation during the 2024 general elections, Ahmad is contesting as an independent candidate on the “geyser” symbol, instead of the “bat” due to the revocation of the party’s electoral symbol last year.
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