ECP rejects vote recount request in NA-266

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) candidate’s request for a vote recount in NA-266 (Kila Abdullah-Cum Chaman), ARY News reported.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai emerged victorious from the NA-266 seat by securing 67,028 votes. JUI-F’s Salahuddin who finished runner-up with 58439 votes challenged Achackzai’s victory and requested for a vote recount.

The ECP pronounced the verdict that was reserved, rejecting the request, and maintained that there was a difference of 8589 votes between the successful and the runner-up candidate. 

The ECP also rejected for re-verification of votes at 36 polling stations.

“The petitioner failed to provide concrete evidence in favour of his claims,” the ECP said. The ECP’s verdict added that the petitioner might approach the Election Tribunal in this regard.

Read More: ECP rejects petitions against election results of 3 Karachi NA seats

Earlier, the ECP rejected petitions of three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed candidates against results of three National Assembly seats of Karachi.

The ECP directed petitioners to challenge results of three constituencies NA-237, NA-239 and NA-241 Karachi in election tribunal.

Pakistan People’s Party’s Asad Alam Niazi, Nabil Gabol and Mirza Ikhtiar Baig had won three Karachi seats.

The election commission rejected petitions of PTI-backed Independent Zahoor Ud Din in NA-237, Mohammad Yasir in NA-239 Lyari and Khurram Sher Zaman in NA-241.