PML-N demands action over incriminating Daska by-poll report

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday urged the judiciary to take a suo motu notice on the Daska by-election after a report by the ECP determined that the polls were not held in a “free and transparent manner,” ARY News reported.

While addressing the media here on Sunday, the PML-N also demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to public report of Daska by-election.

“According to ECP report, Daska by-election was not held in a transparent manner,” he said, adding that all those involved in the “rigging” of the polls must be held accountable.

“ECP’s report contains the names of all officials involved in the rigging of the polls held on February 19. The meeting to rigged elections was held at Deputy Colleges Sialkot which was also attended by PTI members,” said the former prime minister.

An inquiry report issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan determined that the NA-75 Sialkot-IV by-election held in Daska on February 19 was not held in a fair, free, and transparent manner.

It may be recalled, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nosheen Iftikhar clinched victory on a National Assembly (NA) seat in hotly-contested Daska by-polls, according to unofficial results.

According to unofficial and unconfirmed results of all 360 polling stations, PML-N’s Nosheen Iftikhar secured 111220 votes as compared to the runner-up, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ali Asjad Malhi, who bagged 92019 votes.