ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday finally withdrew victory notification of former provincial minister Zamarak Khan as member of the Balochistan Assembly from PB-50 (Qilla Abdullah) and announced re-election in the entire constituency on April 21.

Pursuant to the orders passed by the Supreme Court, the ECP also withdrew notification for re-election at six polling stations of the constituency that was scheduled for March 28.

The ECP, under Sections 50 and 51 of the Elections Act 2017, also appointed Zakir Ali, Deputy Commissioner of Qilla Abdullah, as district retuning officer; Zaheer Ahmed, Assist­ant Commissioner of Gulistan, as returning officer; and Abdul Mateen, Assistant District Education Officer, Dobandi, and Anwar Ali, Naib Tehsildar, Qilla Abdullah, as assistant returning officers, for PB-50.

On March 18, the Supreme Court ordered re-election for the PB-50 constituency after mutual consent of all political parties and the ECP.

Sets April 21 as date for re-election in PB-50 Qilla Abdullah

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heard the case. The court annulled ECP’s earlier order for re-polling at six polling stations and directed the electoral watchdog to conduct fresh polls in the constituency as per the law.

Awami National Party’s Zamarak Khan had been declared victorious from PB-50 in the Feb 8 polls, which was challenged by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s Malik Nawaz in the ECP.

Zamarak Khan had secured 44,713 votes, whereas Malik Nawaz was able to bag 43,445 votes in the close contest. Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Mirwaiz Khan Achakzai received 34,604 votes.

During the hearing, the ANP leader’s counsel contended that the turnout at many polling stations of the constituency remained “unnatural”, but no re-election was ordered there. He said re-election was ordered only at those polling stations where his client was declared victorious.

The week following the elections in Balochistan was marred by protests from political and religious parties that took to the streets against alleged election irregularities, including rigging, manipulation, and undue delays in the announcement of poll results.

Despite calls for restraint and appeals for dialogue, political and religious groups had persisted in holding rallies and demonstrations, intensi-fying their demands for electoral transparency and accountability.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2024