Kayani terms Afzal's allegations
26 August, 2014
LAHORE: Election Commission member Justice (retd) Riaz Kayani Monday termed allegations of former deputy secretary of ECP as 'ridiculous' and said the accusations against the government were part of a "pre-planned agenda"
Speaking to journalists in news conference here, Kayani said that Afzal Khan is loyal supporter of Imran khan's PTI and defaming esteemed institute of Election Commission of Pakistan is in accordance to a preplanned plot. He elaborated that the Supreme Court in its verdict on 14 March, 2014 directed that delimitations would be carried out by the ECP.
Justice Jillani wrote in the decision that they had full confidence in the ECP. Therefore we should not be blamed for it, he added. He said the apex court should take suomoto notice of Khan's baseless allegations.
He said, "I was blamed for destroying 90 percent of elections; this is a general allegation and it should have been specified that what wrong I did in the polls." "It's totally a frivolous allegation and general in nature. It is true that that I wrote maximum decisions but most of the decisions required at least two members to jot it down. We have been discussing policies and devising strategic plans as a group," he told.
To another query, he said he started practice from 1963 and never fought case on behalf on Sharif brothers. And it's totally wrong that I ever gave any opinion to Sharif brothers in any case. The ex-ECP official said unverified votes could not be termed bogus.
Refuting Azfal Khan's claim regarding rigging in general election 2013, Kayani said that this was scripted conspiracy against democracy.
He said that anchor of private channel was exaggerating Afzal Khan by his unclear and baseless claims.
He said Afzal Khan is taking revenge for not getting job extension.
Kayani said that ECP did not promote Afzal Khan to grade 22 and rejected his extension request as he was not on merit.
He claimed Afzal Khan's personality remained controversial and stories of his involvement in corruption were also common while he was working for the ECP.
"Afzal Khan is lying. I will fight against this," Justice (r) Kayani said.
Kayani said that he has decided to sue former additional secretary of Election Commission Muhammad Afzal Khan for leveling 'baseless' allegations.
He said that Afzal Khan retired in May last year, but never talked about all this till now. He asked why have accusations surfaced out of nowhere after fourteen months.
Riaz Kayani said his appointment was made in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations and he took all the decisions in consultation with other members of the election commission.
Responding to another accusation of Afzal, Justice (R) Kayani said he was getting his pension as it was sanctioned by SC bench in 2008 and later the court withdrew its order in 2012. We 62 judges of the high court filed review against it. He also rejected that he had Rs 1 million salary during his service.
Riaz Kayani said the chief justice of Pakistan should take suo moto notice of Afzal Khan's allegations. He said allegations of Imran Khan regarding rigging in 2013 general elections are totally wrong and baseless. The allegations of printing of ballot papers in Urdu bazaar of Lahore are groundless.
Kiyani also said that somebody was providing false information to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan regarding him. He said Imran had falsely claimed and that he had never been a lawyer for Ittefaq Foundries.
Justice Kiyani said that his appointment had been made as per the Constitution and that he was proud of the fact that he could represent Punjab. Earlier on Sunday, former additional secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Afzal Khan alleged that general election 2013 was rigged.
He alleged that former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice (retd) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, Justice (retd) Riaz Kayani and former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G. Ibrahim were involved in rigging.
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