Islamabad:Contrary to its earlier claim, Pakistan's top election watchdog on Monday blamed the suspension of internet and mobile services on Thursday when country-wide polling took place for general elections, which it said did create hindrance in declaring results in a timely manner.
Amid rumours of horse-trading in the absence of a clear majority and also the delay in declaring results on all seats of the National Assembly (NA), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also claimed that the delay in results did not harm any specific political party. After the first result trickled down late that same night, the final result for the NA polls was declared only on Sunday, prompting all political parties, common citizens and, observers too, to condemn the ECP.
On the polling day, Pakistan's Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said its Election Management System (EMS) is not dependent on the internet and its work will not be affected due to it. Even when various government agencies had assured that internet services would remain functional on the voting day, twin terror attacks that killed at least 30 people a day before prompted the caretaker government to suspend the mobile services due to the deteriorating security situation.
On Monday, the ECP, in a statement said, the move (to suspend the internet) had severely affected the coordination and transport of election material. Except for some constituencies, the results of the elections were completed within one and a half days, the statement said, adding, The delay in results in some constituencies did not benefit or harm any specific political party.