BAHAWALPUR: An election tribunal on Friday summoned five presiding officers (POs) out of 30 from PP-213 Multan to record their statements in the election petition of Rana Irfan against MPA Syed Husain Jahania.

The petition was transferred here from Multan.

The tribunal, headed by a retired district and sessions judge, had during previous hearings decided to summon 30 POs on the request of respondent MPA, who had pleaded that their record of polled votes did not match other records. His request was accepted and five of the POs were summoned on March 3. The remaining would be summoned later.

Meanwhile, in the election petition of Akhtar Khadim Wattoo against MNA Syed Asghar Shah of NA-188 Bahawalnagar, the tribunal adjourned hearing until March 3 when counsels of both parties would complete their arguments.

The election tribunal’s tenure will expire on Feb 28 (today) and it adjourned cases in anticipation of extension in its tenure for two months.

Dawn learnt that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected to extend the tenure of five election tribunals in Punjab till April 30 to complete hearings of pending election petitions.

A source on condition of anonymity told Dawn a notification is expected to be issued by Monday (March 2).

Earlier, the tribunals’ tenure had expired on Dec 31, 2014 and the ECP had extended it for two months, which will end today.

LAND: A revenue party of the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) led by Tehsildar Muhammad Ramzan was allegedly assaulted by a group of land grabbers.

The CDA officials had gone to the 29/BC village to evacuate illegal occupants from 50 acres of state land. On resistance by the grabbers, a heavy contingent of Baghdadul Jadid police rushed to the scene.

The police party resorted to firing after which the land was retrieved. The operation was underway until the filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2015

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