QUETTA: The ruling party in Balochistan on Tuesday suffered a big jolt as the Balochistan Election Tribunal declared the election of two MPAs belonging to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) null and void and ordered re-election in both the constituencies of the provincial assembly.

The election tribunal headed by Justice Nazeer Ahmed Langove of the Balochistan High Court after completing hearing of the election petitions filed against provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Adviser to the Chief Minister on Fisheries Mohammad Akbar Askani announced the decision.

The learned judge accepted the petitions filed against the election of Rehman Khetran and Mr Askani and ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct re-election in provincial assembly’s constituencies PB-8 (Barkhan) and PB-48 (Kech).

The tribunal also asked the ECP to de-notify the notifications of the election victory of the two MPAs.

Wadera Abdul Karim Khetran, who contested election on PB-8 (Barkhan) on the ticket of National Party against Rehman Khetran, had filed the petition against the election result. Rehman Khetran won the seat with a thin majority.

Against the result of PB-48 (Kech) the election petition had been filed by Asghar Rind, who had contested the election as a candidate of the Balochistan National Party-Awami and lost against Mr Askani.

Advocate Nadir Chalgari represented Karim Khetran in the case.

Advocate Mohammad Riaz appeared before the tribunal on behalf of Asghar Rind.

Meanwhile, Rehman Khetran and Mr Askani have announced that they will challenge the verdict of the tribunal in the Supreme Court.

In the 2018 general elections, Rauf Rind of the ruling BAP had won the election against Asghar Rind in PB-48 (Kech). However, his victory had been challenged in the election tribunal on the basis of his dual nationality.

In the re-election Mr Askani had won the seat.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2020