Even President Bush influenced his elections with individual rigging: Shujaat

Lahore, Feb 7 : Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that individual rigging took place everywhere in the world, and added that even US President George W Bush influenced his elections with individual rigging.

He said that there were two types of rigging: Individual rigging and state-level rigging, adding that it was the PML-Q which feared individual-level rigging by the PML-Nawaz and other parties.

Shujaat said that the individual rigging was one in which an individual used his or her influence to rig elections in their constituency.

He said the individual rigging couldn't be stopped. "Its volume depends on the influence of a candidate in his/her constituency," he added.

The candidate, who would manage to "herd" and "pick" voters from door to door by managing his transport, would win his election, he said.

Shujaat said that state-level rigging was very rare and in Pakistan, and added that its only example was the 1977 elections, which "were engineered and rigged by former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto."

Shujaat said the media had a crucial role to play. "The media should monitor events accurately and in an unbiased manner," he said.

Despite the government's claims that the February 18 general elections will be free, fair and transparent, most political parties have expressed fears about rigging by elements in the establishment who are loyal to the PML-Q.

ANI