ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Sadiq on Friday forwarded a reference seeking disqualification of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The reference is based on an application filed by former MNA Babar Nawaz, who lost 2024 general election from NA-18 (Haripur) to Omar Ayub Khan with a margin of 82,000 votes.

The ECP instantly fixed the reference for first hearing on June 4 and notices have been issued to both Mr Ayub and Mr Nawaz.

On the same day, the ECP will also resume hearing on a petition filed by Mr Nawaz on May 11,2024 seeking action over alleged rigging in his constituency.

He had also demanded a thorough probe into the alleged rigging. In his petition, the former MNA had alleged that Mr Ayub was guilty of financial corruption and misrepresentation in the affidavit submitted to the election commission.

One of the interesting claims made by Mr Nawaz was that the PTI leader had himself complained of rigging in elections on February 9.

A source in PTI, however, rejected the claim that the party had written a letter to the DRO complaining over its own victory with a margin of 82,000 votes. He said the fake letter had never been written by the PTI and was not there on the official record.

He said the DRO concerned had also denied receiving such a letter. He also pointed out that Mr Nawaz in his posts on social media including X and Facebook had accepted his defeat with open heart and had congratulated Mr Ayub.

The source further said Mr Nawaz filed his petition on May 11, 2024, after 24 days from the date of expiry of filing of the petition deadline (April 17).

He alleged the state machinery and ECP have been activated once again as a tool to deprive PTI of those seats they could not manage to steal after elections.

On April 18, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had lifted the stay order that had halted the ECP’s probe into alleged rigging in NA-18 Haripur, directing the electoral body to proceed with the case after hearing all concerned parties.

Announcing the reserved verdict, Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar dismissed the petition filed by mr Ayub, which had sought to block the ECP’s inquiry into the alleged irregularities.

On April 23, the PTI leader challenged in the Supreme Court the ECP’s jurisdiction to proceed with a representation filed by his rival candidate, Babar Nawaz Khan, under sections 8, 9, and 95 of the Elections Act, 2017.

The petitioner argued that the ECP became functus officio (lacking jurisdiction) after the statutory 60-day period from the Feb 17, 2024 notification of the returned candidate expired on April 17, 2024. Despite this, the ECP continued proceedings, which he contended was unlawful.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2025