QUETTA — The political temperature in Balochistan’s PB-36 Kalat constituency has risen sharply after Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) candidate Sardarzada Mir Saeed Ahmed Langove accused election authorities and rival political operatives of orchestrating widespread rigging during the recent re-polling at seven disputed polling stations.
Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Sunday, flanked by party colleagues, Langove described the March 10 re-polling as a “brazen theft of the voters’ mandate carried out under the cover of darkness,” alleging that deliberate irregularities were engineered to reverse his earlier lead in the constituency.
Background of the Dispute
According to Langove, the February 8, 2024 general elections proceeded relatively smoothly at 85 of the 92 polling stations in PB-36, where voting was conducted transparently. However, at seven specific stations—including those in Johan and Gazk areas—he claimed that workers of his opponent forcibly seized ballot papers and boxes at gunpoint, removing them for approximately 24 hours to stamp votes in favor of their candidate.
Despite immediate protests from Langove and his polling agents, the District Returning Officer initially released results from 85 stations, showing Langove with a lead of 2,294 votes. The following day, however, consolidated results on Forms 47 and 49 declared his rival victorious, sparking complaints that led the Election Commission of Pakistan to order re-polling at the seven disputed stations.
Re-polling Irregularities Alleged
Langove alleged that prior to the re-polling exercise, he formally requested but was denied access to the list of presiding officers and polling staff assigned to the seven stations. He claimed that many of the appointed personnel were either relatives or known political workers of his opponent, raising serious concerns about impartiality.
“The re-polling was not conducted fairly. Our requests for basic transparency measures were ignored, and the staff deployed had clear biases,” Langove told journalists. He asserted that the process was designed to manufacture a result favorable to his political rivals rather than reflect the genuine will of voters in those areas.
Demands for Accountability
The JUI-F leader called on the ECP to investigate his complaints thoroughly and take action against officials found responsible for undermining the electoral process. He warned that failure to address the alleged irregularities would erode public confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections.
Langove was accompanied by other party leaders who echoed his demands, emphasizing that the sanctity of the vote must be protected at all costs. They urged the commission to review the re-polling process and consider nullifying results from stations where irregularities were documented.
Political Context
PB-36 Kalat is one of several constituencies where post-election disputes have persisted long after the 2024 general elections. The allegations from JUI-F add to a growing list of complaints from various political parties regarding the conduct of polls in Balochistan, where logistical challenges and security concerns often complicate electoral processes.
The ECP has yet to issue an official response to Langove’s specific allegations. However, the commission has previously stated its commitment to investigating any credible evidence of electoral malpractice.
As the political debate over the PB-36 results continues, observers note that the controversy highlights the broader challenges facing Pakistan’s electoral system in ensuring transparency and accountability, particularly in sensitive constituencies where local rivalries run deep.
