LAHORE - An election tribunal (ET) on Wednesday declared election results of PP-136-Narowal as rigged, with the direction to the Election Commission of Pakistan for re-polling in the constituency within the stipulated time.
Justice (r) Kazim Ali Malik of the election tribunal issued this order on an application filed by Muhammad Wakil Khan Manj, an independent candidate, against PML-N Candidate Lt Col (r) Shujaat Ahmad Khan. The tribunal directed the ECP to make arrangements for fresh polling in the constituency within the stipulated time.
Earlier, a local commission was established by the election tribunal to inspect the record of the polling in the constituency concerned.
The local commission, in its report submitted to the court, said that many bags of ballot papers were missing from the record and bogus votes and ballot papers were also found from there.
On the basis of the report of the local commission and arguments of both the parties, the election tribunal set aside the results of the election in PP-136 of Narowal.
Muhammad Wakil Khan Manj had filed a suit, stating that Shujaat Ahmad Khan was elected as a member of the provincial assembly as a result of a massive rigging. He requested the election tribunal to nullify the results of the constituency and direct the ECP to hold a fresh election in the constituency.
LHC AGAIN SEEKS REPLY FROM PUNJAB GOVT, IGP
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday again sought reply from the Punjab government and Inspector General of Police on a petition about poor security arrangements at the courts’ premises.
LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was hearing the case filed by Lahore High Court Bar Association Bar Association against police for poor security of the courts and lawyers’ community. The CJ directed the IGP to present a summary on how the security of courts could be made foolproof.
LHCBA president Shafqat Mehmood Chohan had filed the petition in the wake of terror attack on Islamabad District Court.
In the petition, Chohan stated that protection of judges, lawyers and litigant public visiting the courts was the responsibility of police. He said that terror attacks on the court’s premises had been increasing day by day. He further stated that the attack on Islamabad District Court exposed the poor performance of Punjab police.
Chohan said that effective security measures had not been taken by the police despite repeated complaints lodged by bar associations. He pleaded the court to order the police to ensure protection of judges, lawyers and litigants visiting the court’s premises.