QUETTA: The Baloch­i­stan Assembly’s speaker, Abdul Khaliq Achakzai of the PML-N, has been removed from his position following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to suspend his election notification and order re-election in 12 polling stations within the provincial constituency PB-51 (Chaman).

The directive for the re-election came after a challenge to Mr Khaliq’s victory by three contenders: Muhammad Asghar Ach­akzai of the Awami Natio­nal Party (ANP), Abasin Achakzai, and Muham­m­­ad Sadiq, all of whom were defeated in the general ele­­ction for the PB-51 seat.

However, the trio petitioned the Election Com­mission against the win of Mr Khaliq, who contested as a joint candidate of the PML-N and PPP.

A two-member ECP be­­n­ch — comprising Nisar Ahmad Durrani and Ba­­bar Hussain — heard the petitions filed by the op­­posing candidates. They called for re-polling at specified polling stations and subsequently suspended Mr Khaliq’s official victory notification, the commission said in a statement.

According to the Election Commission, the re-election will be held at polling stations 56, 57, 61, 62, 79, 89, 90, 91, 95, 106, 129 and 130 of the PB-51 constituency.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Assembly officials said that after the ECP’s decision about re-polling, Kha­liq Achakzai had been de­­prived of the Balochis­tan Assembly speaker’s post.

“Khaliq Achakzai is no longer speaker of the Balo­chistan Assembly,” the as­­sembly officials said, adding that the speaker’s election would be held after the re-election at the 12 contested polling stations.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2024