Pakistan sets up 3-member judicial commission to probe 2013 polls

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formed a three-member judicial commission headed by Chief Justice to probe alleged rigging in 2013 general elections that were comprehensively won by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N.

The commission was formed by Pakistan government yesterday on the demand of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) who alleged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had rigged the polls.

The commission is headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Nasirul Mulk and two Supreme Court judges Ameer Hani Muslim and Ejaz Afzal Khan are its members.

The commission would investigate the allegations of poll rigging, a demand made by the PTI during the party's 126- day-long sit-in in here last year. It is expected to submit a final report to the federal government in the next 45 days.

On April 2, the PTI and PML-N formally signed an agreement paving way for the formation of a judicial commission through a presidential decree.

The agreement was signed between the two sides ending more than seven months of political tension in the country which created uncertainty and damaged the economy. According to which the government will resign if it was proved that it won the elections through systematic rigging.

Last year, PTI held violent protests to force the government resign but Sharif refused to step down.

Now Sharif has agreed to dissolve the parliament if the commission proved that systematic rigging was done for the benefit of his party.