Election tribunal issues notice to Aamir Liaquat

KARACHI: An election tribunal here on Monday issued notices to PTI leader Aamir Liaquat Hussain, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and others on a petition challenging his victory at National Assembly seat, NA-245, in Karachi.

The tribunal was hearing the petition filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar challenging his rival candidate’s win in the July 25 polls.

Aamir Liaquat and other respondents are required to come up with their response by October 19. The PTI leader had emerged victorious from NA-245 with 56615 votes, leaving behind Farooq Sattar who came second with 35,247 votes.

Mr Sattar claimed in his petition that around 22,000 ballot papers were found missing in NA-245 alone, adding that proofs about missing ballot papers are available in the Form 46.

He pleaded that the victory of PTI leader Aamir Liaquat from NA-245 be declared void.

On September 13, Sattar resigned from the MQM Rabita Committee, the top decision making forum of the party over ‘personal reasons’, and submitted his resignation to the party.

His resignation came after a week when he publicly stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf offered him to contest the upcoming by-elections from  NA-247 on the party ticket.

“I am consulting my close friends over the offer,” he had said while speaking to the media outside the ECP last week.

Sattar had also lost the NA-247 seat to PTI candidate Dr Arif Alvi during the July 25 elections, but the seat fell vacant after Alvi’s election as the president.

A week after the general elections, Sattar had claimed that the mandate of Karachi’s voters was ‘snatched’ and he demanded re-election in the metropolis.