Election Tribunal seeks ECP reply on plea challenging NA-72 result

LAHORE: The Election Tribunal at the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other respondents on a plea, challenging the result of NA-72 (Sialkot), ARY News reported.

According to the details, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidate Chaudhry Amjad Ali Bajwa challenged victory of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Ali Zahid from the NA-75 in the general elections held on February 8.

The Election Tribunal while accepting the plea for hearing issued notices to the ECP and other respondents. The Election Tribunal sought a reply from the ECP by June 6.

It is pertinent to mention here that PML-N’s Ali Zahid won the National Assembly constituency NA-72 by securing 109657 votes while the PTI-backed independent candidate Chaudhry Amjad Ali Bajwa could get 102527 votes.

The PTI-backed challenged the results at the ECP that directed him to approach the Election Tribunal.

Earlier on May 2, the Election Tribunal at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit original Forms 45 and 46 of all three National Assembly constituencies of the capital city

The tribunal comprising Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of the IHC, heard petitions filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed independent candidates including Aamir Mughal from NA-46, Shoaib Shaheen from NA-47, and Ali Bukhari from NA-48.

The candidates who suffered defeats in the February 8 General Elections took their respective cases to the Election Tribunal in the Islamabad High Court after their pleas were rejected by the ECP.

They maintained that the results of the February 8 elections were tampered with and manipulated.