LAHORE: The Lahore election tribunal judge whose decision in the NA-122 case has deprived National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq of his office accused Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid of hurling life threats at him.

Retired district and sessions judge Kazim Ali Malik, of the one-man Lahore election tribunal, said in a TV talk show: “I know by whom he (Mr Rashid) is (trying to) frighten me. I’ve understood to whom he gave the message.”

The tribunal, in a verdict on Saturday, declared the 2013 election in NA-122 null and void after finding irregularities in the election process committed by the Election Commission and ordered a re-poll in the Lahore constituency where Mr Sadiq had defeated PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

Also read: ‘Threats’ to NA-122 judge prove PML-N fixed election results: Imran

The verdict earned ire of the PML-N and Pervaiz Rashid termed it biased and said that the head of the tribunal was concerned more about his own projection instead of justice while issuing the judgment.

Mr Malik broke his silence on Tuesday when Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah repeated Mr Rashid’s allegations and claimed that the tribunal head had personal issues with the PML-N which had declined to give a party ticket to his son.

As anti-corruption establishment director-general, added Rana Sana, Mr Malik had problems which led to his summoning by the Privileges Committee of the Punjab Assembly.

Terming the verdict a stain on the independent judiciary, the provincial minister said had there been any judge other than Kazim Ali Malik, he would not have heard the case (because of personal issues).

Responding to the allegations, the judge told a couple of TV channels that he would resign if Rana Sana proved what he had alleged.

He said in the past he had given 30 verdicts in favour of the PML-N but the party never accused him of being biased.

He said he had written a letter to Pervaiz Rashid and would decide about serving a legal notice on the minister after receiving his response.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2015

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