NA-110: SC rejects PTI rival's election plea against Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday maintained the decision of the election tribunal in NA-110 case and rejected the appeal of PTI candidate, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan announced its verdict.

Earlier, Justice Ijaz questioned whether the successful candidate can be held responsible for any change in record or any other anamoly. Barrister Farooq H. Naik who was representing Khawaja Asif said the candidate could not be held responsible only an administrative official can be held responsible for it. He pleaded to the court to reject the appeal and declare his client successful.

The court after hearing arguments of the counsels of the two candidates maintained the election tribunal decision.

Farooque Naik talking to media outside the court said that the Supreme Court has declared that Khawaja Asif has won the election in a proper manner.

Babar Awan, counsel of Usman Dar, said that he will give his comments after the detailed judgment of the case is released.

Khawaja Asif had won the election in NA-110 Sialkot constituency on Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) ticket in general election 2013.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Usman Dar challenged the result in the election tribunal. The tribunal dismissed his petition. Later, the PTI candidate had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the election tribunal verdict.

NA-110 was among the four National Assembly constituencies the results of which being contested by PTI chief Imran Khan, who was demanding to reopen the ballot boxes of these constituencies.