The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday suspended the schedule for re-polling at 22 polling stations of NA-251 (Sherani-cum-Zhob-cum-Qila Saifullah), which was to take place on December 18.

A notification to this effect was issued a day after a two-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shehzad Ahmad Khan, suspended the election tribunal’s order of re-polling at the polling stations.

JUI-F’s candidate Syed Samiullah had won the seat in the 2024 general elections with a thin margin of less than 100 votes.

After hearing a petition filed by Pashtoonkhwa National Awami Party Chairman Khushhal Khan Kakar, who challenged the 2024 general election results, the election tribunal, headed by Justice Aamir Nawaz Rana, ordered re-polling at 22 polling stations on the grounds that Form-45s from the stations were missing.

The tribunal’s decision was challenged before the SC by JUI-F legislator Samiullah.

The SC bench issued the stay order against the re-polling, suspended the election tribunal’s ruling and adjourned further hearing of the case until the winter vacations of the SC were over.

JUI-F Senator Advocate Kamran Murtaza appeared before the court on behalf of Samiullah.

The election commission had de-notified Samiullah on December 4 in view of the election tribunal’s order of November 24.