Pakistan
"Deliberate"; Presiding Officer blames opposition for rejected votes
Islamabad: Muzafar Hussain Shah, the Presiding Officer who oversaw the elections for Senate Chairman on Friday, has lashed out at opposition members, blaming them for seven rejected votes.
"They deliberately wasted seven votes. All seven votes were stamped in the same manner," he said on Saturday, a day after the rejected votes cost Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate Yousuf Raza Gillani the coveted seat. "Votes for Hafeez Sheikh and Sadruddin Shah Rashidi were rejected on the same basis. These seven votes were stolen from opposition's own house," he remarked.
He advised the opposition alliance to investigate who the seven votes were polled by. "This criticism on me is without reason. I gave my decision after listening to the opposition," he stated.
He further claimed that proceedings inside the parliament cannot be challenged in courts.
Shah's statements cane a day after Pakistan People's Party (PPP) held a press conference blaming the presiding officer for the loss. In their press conference, the PPP said that Shah was not neutral and was biased.
Sadiq Sanjrani, the government candidate, won the closely contested election by 48-42. The seven votes were all polled for Gillani, having the potential to secure him a narrow win. PPP has since announced it will challenge the decision in court.