LAHORE: An election tribunal on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by incarcerated PTI leader Yasmin Rashid challenging PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s victory from Lahore’s NA-130 constituency in the 2024 general elections.

The tribunal, headed by retired Justice Rana Zahid Mahmood, rejected the plea on technical grounds, ruling that the petitioner had failed to meet the requirements laid down under the Elections Act 2017 for filing an election petition. A detailed written order is yet to be issued.

Ms Rashid had filed the petition on April 16, 2024, contesting the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) notification declar-ing Mr Sharif the returned candidate.

She alleged that the ECP had violated the law in issuing the notification and had manipulated the election results to ensure her defeat. The petition sought the setting aside of Mr Sharif’s victory and requested that she be declared the returned candidate.

The ECP had notified Mr Sharif’s victory from NA-130 on Feb 13 last year. According to official results, he secured 179,310 votes, while Ms Rashid finished second with 104,485 votes.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2025