QUETTA: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered the official notification regarding the success of the candidate from PB-41 (Washuk) constituency be withheld and summoned the returning and presiding officers on next hearing.

The order was passed on Monday after the hearing of a petition filed by Mir Mujeebur Rehman Mohammad Hasani who contested elections from the constituency on the ticket of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and suffered defeat.

The hearing was held by the bench comprising members from all the four provincial election commissions.

Zabid Reki was declared successful with 12,807 votes while his opponent Mujeerur Rehman lost with 12,588 votes.

However, results from Pushku and Sarnaab polling stations were not reportedly included in the count since the returning officers of these polling stations had submitted statements that no votes were cast in the sensitive areas of the constituency.

It was said that the armed men had snatched the ballot papers and returned them after having them stamped.

Meanwhile, Mujeebur Rehman claimed that the votes polled in his favour had not been included in the count.

According to his lawyer, votes polled for the provincial assembly were not counted but those of the National Assembly NA-270 were counted and his client was declared unsuccessful.

The next hearing will be held on Aug 19.

Published in Dawn, August 07th, 2018