LAHORE: In a major political blow to the ruling PML-N, an election tribunal on Saturday annulled results of two Lahore constituencies, NA-122 and PP-147, and ordered by-elections.
The National Assembly seat was won by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and that of Punjab Assembly by Mohsin Latif.
Announcing a much-awaited decision, the tribunal allowed petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and his party’s leader Shoaib Siddiqi alleging rigging in both constituencies. The tribunal had reserved the verdict on Aug 17.
“I declare the election, under challenge, as a whole void with an observation that Election Commission of Pakistan shall hold by-election from this constituency,” the tribunal-member Kazim Ali Malik said in last paragraph of 80-page verdict. The tribunal would officially release the verdict on Monday.
The tribunal said combined examination of all inspections conducted by local commission and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) showed bad state of election record in the constituency (NA-122) that provided a basis to conclude that the result of the election, whereby the returned candidate (Mr Sadiq) defeated the runner-up candidate (Imran Khan) by 8945 votes had been materially affected.
Initially, the tribunal was set to announce the verdict at 10am on Saturday, however, the tribunal continuously kept delaying the announcement till 7pm, apparently for ‘bad’ law and order situation outside the office of Punjab Election Commission. Media persons were not allowed to enter the office. Five representatives each from both sides including legal counsels were permitted to hear the announcement.
A heavy police contingent was already deployed outside the commission’s office to control charged workers of PTI and PML-N. A police truck equipped with “Water Cannon” was also brought to the scene following little skirmishes between the political workers. Presence of women activists of both parties was also witnessed.
Sources said the tribunal’s member had a fear of clashes between the activists of two parties and he had been demanding strict security to cope with post verdict scenario. DIG Operations Haider Ashraf visited the commission’s twice and examined the security arrangements. Though police controlled the situation efficiently, the workers kept chanting slogans in favour of their leaders the whole day. The workers also kept playing their party’s songs on sound system.
PTI’s runner-up candidate from PP-147, Shoaib Siddiqi was the first person to come out of the commission’s office at 7pm and announce the tribunal’s verdict to media persons waiting for over nine hours.
Later PTI’s counsel Anees Hashmi told the reporters that the tribunal set aside the election results of both constituencies and ordered a re-poll. He said the verdict established that a massive rigging was committed in the election.
However, the speaker’s son Dr Ali Ayaz said the tribunal did not mention the word of rigging in the decision. He said it was a case of administrative irregularities on part of election staff. To a question, he said the party would decide whether to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.
However, television channels aired statement of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq saying the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had given a go ahead to assail the verdict.
Imran Khan had approached the election tribunal on Aug 27, 2013 with a demand to cancel the election result and order a re-poll in his constituency.
Hearing of his petition remained suspended for a year as the Lahore High Court had on Nov 4, 2013 granted a stay to Ayaz Sadiq against the tribunal’s proceedings. The court later withdrew the stay order on Nov 20, 2014 and the tribunal resumed its proceedings.
Previously, another election tribunal had on May 4, 2015 set aside the election of results of NA-125, and PP-155 won by railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq and PML-N MPA Mian Naseer respectively. The tribunal had ordered re-poll in the constituencies, however, the Supreme Court had stayed the decision. PTI’s senior leader Hamid Khan had challenged the minister’s victory.
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015
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