Sadiq announces to challenge NA-122 verdict in Supreme Court

Talking to media after the election tribunal announced its verdict ordering re-polling in NA-122 today, Sadiq said though he admits the election tribunal’s decision, yet he also has reservations on it.

He said that he had telephoned PM Nawaz Sharif to inquire about the party policy on the verdict and said the decision will be challenged in the apex court.

He said neither he nor Imran Khan was held responsible of irregularities, adding, “The tribunal charged ECP machinery with the responsibility of rigging”.

Earlier in the evening, the election tribunal declared Ayaz Sadiq’s victory in the 2013 general elections from NA-122 as null and void and ordered re-polling in the constituency.

The tribunal also ordered re-elections in PP-147 constituency. PTI’s Shoaib Siddiqui had challenged the victory of PML-N candidate Mohsin Latif in the constituency.

The verdict was to be announced at 10:00 am but got delayed to 07:00 pm.

The PTI Chairman hailed the tribunal’s decision and flashed a sign of victory.

Ali Ayaz Sadiq, NA speaker’s son while talking to the media, has announced that the tribunal’s decision will be challenged in the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC).

PTI has all the reasons to dance out loud today (until the decision is challenged and reversed as usual) #NA122

— Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) August 22, 2015

Congratulations PTI on #NA122 – Déjà Vu Saad Rafiq.

— Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) August 22, 2015

Imran Khan was born to win. He has won the hearts of millions of people already & continues to strive for a just Pakistan.

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) August 22, 2015

Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Ayaz Sadiq both had arrived at the tribunal office to hear the decision of the case.

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that Ayaz Sadiq’s status of a Parliamentarian would end as soon as they receive the copy of the judgement.

Party workers and activists belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) had also gathered outside Election Commission Punjab office. The situation almost escalated, with the party workers coming face-to-face and chanting slogans against each other.

It should be borne in mind that chairman Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf Imran Khan had filed a petition for electoral rigging against the winner Ayaz Sadiq, who had polled more votes than Imran and had been declared as the winner.

In the General Elections 2013, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had, from PML-N’s platform, defeated Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan. Ayaz Sadiq had secured 93,389 votes whilst Imran polled 84,517 votes.

PTI had challenged Ayaz Sadiq’s victory by alleging rigging and filing a petition to challenge the result. When proceedings for the case began in July 2013, Ayaz Sadiq obtained a stay order. When the stay order expired in November 2014, a commission was formed, headed by Justice Ghulam Hussain Awan.

As per directions of the commission, recounting and verification of votes were conducted by NADRA.

As per the commission’s report, 23,595 counter foils were not signed and stamped. 108,115 votes were declared as correct, 3,642 votes could not be verified whereas 2,693 votes did not contain the signatures of the staff . 750 votes were not stamped by the presiding officer. After listening to the cases of both parties and taking into account the evidence collected, Justice Kazim Ali will announce the decision today.