Amid Poll Rigging Allegations, Twitter (X) Services Down Across Pakistan; ECP Orders Probe

As Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continue to protest claiming rigging in the national election aided by former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha's claim that he declared losers as winners by changing ballots under pressure, social media platform X (formerly Twitter) is reportedly down across Pakistan as users are facing difficulty in loading the page. Liaquat Ali Chatha also alleged that the chief election commissioner and chief justice were involved in the malpractice. 

The interruption in services is attributed to the "escalating unrest and protests" surrounding allegations of election fraud, according to the Internet tracking organization NetBlocks.

Responding to the allegations, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established a high-level committee to investigate the claims of rigging made by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha.

In a press release issued yesterday, the electoral watchdog announced that the committee would include senior election commission officials such as the secretary, special secretary, and additional director general of law. The committee is tasked with recording statements from returning officers and district returning officers and is expected to submit a report to the commission within three days.

Despite the rigging allegations made by former Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha, a group of five district returning officers, including four male officers and a female officer, rejected the claims during a press conference alongside the new Pindi Commissioner Saif Anwar. They also urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations, asserting that they were not influenced by any external pressures and conducted the polls in accordance with the Election Act and the directions provided by the electoral watchdog.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa commented that baseless allegations lacking evidence hold no weightage. The chief justice made these remarks in response to claims by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha, who asserted that the chief election commissioner and the chief justice were "also completely involved" in alleged election rigging.