ECP issues stay order on NA-249 by-poll results over Miftah Ismail's plea

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a stay order on NA-249 by-poll results after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Miftah Ismail challenged the results, ARY NEWS reported on Saturday.

Other than issuing a stay order, the ECP also set a hearing on the petition of Miftah Ismail for May 04.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) turned down pleas of PTI and PML-N candidates seeking recounting of votes cast in Thursday’s NA-249 Karachi by-election.

The commission’s returning officer (RO) dismissed the election petitions filed by PTI’s Amjad Afridi and PML-N’s Miftah Ismail.

Afridi in his petition raised objections to the results of 21 polling stations of the National Assembly constituency in Karachi and alleged rigging at at least two polling stations.

He requested the commission to order recounting of votes cast in the by-poll and conduct a probe into rigging charges.

Read More: Electronic voting machines ‘only answer to reclaim credibility of elections’: PM

Miftah Ismail pointed out discrepancies in Form-45 and Form-47, calling for recounting of ballots. He wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner to have his grievance redressed after the RO rejected his vote recount plea.

PPP’s Abdul Qadir Mandokhail won the election by securing 16,150 votes, according to unofficial results. PML-N’s Miftah Ismail was the runner-up with 15,473 votes. Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Mufti Nazeer Kamalvi clinched the third position with 11,125 votes, followed by Mustafa Kamal of the PSP who bagged 9,227 votes.

PTI’s candidate Amjad Afridi secured 8,922 votes while Hafiz Mursaleen of the MQM 7,511.