LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) dismissed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) claim that the by-election held in NA-71 Mianwali was rigged, Express News reported on Tuesday.

Last month, PTI had filed a petition with the ECP challenging the victory of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Obaidullah Shadi Khel with claims of rigging in NA-71.

Obaidullah had won with 69,799 votes while Malik Waheed managed to attract 56,504.

PTI had accused the federal and Punjab governments of committing vote fraud in the constituency, submitting video recordings of allegedly rigged polling at different stations as evidence.

They had also claimed that their original candidate for NA-71 Ayla Malik, was kept out of the race through connivance with the Rawalpindi Board of Education, which raised objections to her degree.

Accusing the returning officer (RO) from NA-71, provincial government officials, ministers and members of provincial and the National Assembly of being complicit in the act, the PTI petition stated:

“The ECP should call upon inspection of record including ballot papers of by-elections besides getting the voters’ thumb impressions verified by NADRA.”

The ECP dismissed the rigging claims and while hearing another case regarding alleged rigging in NA-122, called in the PTI Chairman Imran Khan for recording a statement on November 12.

TARBELA GHAZI - DR PERVAIZ AWAN  - Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) lost the seat of National Assembly NA-19 Haripur, KPK as Omer Ayub Khan of PML-N won the NA-19 Haripur seat after re-polling on seven polling stations. by defecting suspended MNA Raja Aamar Zaman.
According to the details, Raja Aamar Zaman had secured 1,16,579 votes and defeated PML-N candidate Omer Ayub Khan who got 1,14,374 votes in the general elections 2013. The PML-N later challenged the election results. Raja Aamar Zaman emerged as winner after the recount on all 437 stations of the constituency, however, his lead was decreased from 2205 to 1304.
Omer Ayub then moved to the Supreme Court and sought re-election. According to his petition, several polling bags did not have relevant voters list or counterfoils of ballot papers, which indicate rigging. The apex court referred the case to the election tribunal which suspended Raja Aamar Zaman’s membership of National Assembly and ordered re-election on polling stations Alloli, Mamrial, Bagra Number 2, Kalinjar, Ghazi Hamlet and two polling stations of Khalabat Township.
It is worth mentioning here that in the general election 2013, Raja Aamar Zaman had defeated Omar Ayub on these polling stations with a heavy margin but after order of re-polling previously polled votes in these polling stations had been deleted from the NA-19 election result which had brought the both candidates all most equal with a little lead of 27 votes for Omer Ayub Khan. The re-polling on these seven polling stations were held on Wednesday in a tens situation but over all environment during the polling remained peaceful. According to the result, of the seven polling stations Omer Ayoub Khan secured his win in six polling stations by obtaining 2,853 votes where his rival Raja Ammar Zaman could win only one polling station of his native village and got 2,260 votes.
According to the unofficial results, Omer Ayub Khan won the election by securing a lead of 593 votes.

 

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