ISLAMABAD: The losing candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from NA-74 (Sialkot-III), Chauhdry Ghulam Abbas, Wednesday accused MNA-elect from the constituency Ali Zahid Hamid of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of open rigging in the general election. Addressing a press conference here, Abbas alleged that his polling agents were forced out of several polling stations at the time of counting of votes. He said Zahid Hamid, Ali’s father and law minister in the previous regime of PML-N, had masterminded the rigging. “Zahid Hamid has served as law minister and during his tenure favoured many judicial officials by appointing them in coveted posts. He has personal links in the judiciary as well and by using those relations, he managed to get favours from many presiding officers and returning officers,” he alleged. While sharing some documents signed by Returning Officer Nadeem Anwar Chauhdry, he said that many bags were not even opened for vote counting, adding that results of over 100 polling stations were received with a delay of around 26 hours which “reaffirmed our belief of massive rigging in the election.” On an application by Abbas, recounting of votes in NA-74 was conducted but he still stood the runner-up. Not a single member of the PTI or any official from party’s central media wing accompanied Abbas at the press conference. On a question regarding absence of party leadership on the occasion to endorse his stance, Abbas said he did not try to contact the party leadership or the central media cell officials. He maintained that he had joined the PTI just days before the general elections and didn’t have much links with key figures in the party except its chief Imran Khan. Published in Daily Times, August 2nd 2018.