KARACHI, Jan 20: The election tribunal in Sindh, comprising Justice Zawwar Hussain Jaffery of Sindh High Court, on Monday directed the returning officer of NA-253 Karachi and others, including MNA Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, to file comments within a week on an election petition filed by Dr. Faheemuddin Siddqui of the Muttahida Quami Movement.

Faheemuddin Siddiqui alleged that the returning officer and other polling staff favoured his opponent candidate through rigging.

He prayed the court to declare election in NA-253 void and direct re-polling. The next hearing will be on Feb 10.

The election tribunal also issued notice to MNA Mahmood Ahmed Qureshi of Mohajir Quami Movement from NA-255 Karachi and others on a petition of Muttahida Quami Movement’s losing candidate Mohammad Abrarul Haq in which he prayed to declare election in his constituency as void.

The court also directed Javed Iqbal Khanzada, a respondent in Abrar’s petition to file written statement before court on next date of hearing.

Abrarul Haq alleged that the Mohajir Quami Movement made ‘No-Go Area’ for their polling agents in most parts of his constituency and did not allow them to sit in polling stations during polling.

In another election petition of MQM’s Mirza Qudratullah Baig against MPA Younus Khan of Mohajir Quami Movement from PS-122 Karachi, the election tribunal directed petitioner’s counsel to furnish fresh address of respondents within a week. Both these petitions were fixed for Feb 10.

NA-230: The election tribunal of Sindh, headed by Justice Ghulam Rabbani of Sindh High Court, on Monday issued notices to AAG Sindh, MNA Ghulam Haider Samejo of Sindh Democratic Alliance (SDA) from NA-230 Tharparker-II and others on election petition of losing candidate Pir Imdad Ali Shah Jilani of the PPPP.

Imdad Ali Shah prayed the court to declare election of his constituency void as he alleged mass rigging in the elections.

He further stated that Arbab Ghulam Rahim, now Sindh minister, had supported SDA candidate and got him returned by mass rigging. He also prayed for re-polling in 41 polling stations of his constituency.

The same election tribunal also issued notices to AG Sindh and Dr. Manzoor Hussain Leghari of Grand National Alliance from PS-75 Dadu V on a petition of Syed Ghulam Shah Jilani of the PPPP in which he alleged bogus voting in his constituency.—PPI