ISLAMABAD: 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-Qilla Saifullah.

A notification to this effect was issued a day after a two-member bench of the Supreme Court suspended the election tribunal’s order of re-polling at these polling stations.

According to the schedule announced on December 4, the re-poll was to take place on December 18.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shehzad Ahmad Khan heard the case.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F candidate Syed Samiullah had won the general elections from NA-251 with a thin margin of fewer than 100 votes.

The Election Tribunal, headed by Justice Aamir Nawaz Rana, had ordered re-polling after hearing a petition filed by Pashtoonkhwa National Awami Party Chairman Khushhal Khan Kakar, who challenged the election result.

The election tribunal had ordered re-polling at 22 polling stations on the grounds that Form-45 of those stations were missing.

The tribunal’s decision was challenged before the Supreme Court by the JUI-F lawmaker Samiullah.

The bench issued a stay order against the re-polling and suspended the election tribunal’s ruling. It adjourned further hearing of the case until the winter vacations of the Supreme Court are over.

During the hearing, JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza appeared before the court on behalf of candidate Syed Samiullah.

The Election Commission had de-notified the JUI-F’s returned candidate Syed Samiullah on December 4 in view of the election tribunal’s order of November 24.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2025