ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned the presiding officer of one of the polling stations of National Assembly’s seat NA-240 Karachi who is accused of stealing the ballot papers in the recently held by-election, observing why legal action should not be initiated against him.
In this context, the ECP has summoned the presiding officer of polling station number 87 located in Landhi Zamanabad on Wednesday (June 22).
The ECP has directed Sindh’s secretary colleges to ensure the attendance of the said presiding officer in ECP on the given date.
By-election was held on NA-240— a political stronghold of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). But in what appeared to be a worrisome scenario for the ruling coalition party in Sindh and at the centre, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) managed to give quite a tough time to MQM-P.
Muhammad Abu Bakar from MQM-P bagged 10,683 votes followed by 10,618 votes received by Shahzada Shahbaz from TLP. Syed Rafiuddin from Muhajir Qaumi Movement got 8,383 votes. Nasir Raheem from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ended up fourth with 5,248 votes and Shabbir Kaimkhani from Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) got 4,797 votes.
A total of 25 candidates were in run for this seat that fall vacant due to the death of Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan from MQM-P in April.
The by-election saw some incidents of violence involving firing and scuffles between rival groups in which one person was said to have lost his life.
In another development, the ECP has rejected a request from Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan for the transfer of the district police officers (DPOs) of Khushab, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.
The ECP has denied transfers of the said officers keeping in view by-elections on 20 seats of Punjab Assembly on July 17.
Under election laws, transfers/ postings of government officials are barred in any area where an election schedule is announced. Any transfer/ posting take place only with ECP’s permission.
In a related move, the ECP, Sunday, took notice of firing and violence incidents in Punjab Assembly’s constituency PP-167 Lahore and directed Secretary ECP Omar Hamid Khan to reach out to IGP Punjab Rao Sardar and Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal over the matter. The electoral body has also sought a detailed report from Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab Saeed Gul in this regard.
PP-167 is one of the 20 seats where by-elections are scheduled on July 17. It fell vacant due to the de-seating of Nazir Ahmed Chohan from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Last month, the ECP de-notified the legislative memberships of 25 dissident members of provincial assembly (MPAs) in Punjab Assembly, belonging to PTI, for voting in favour of Hamza Shahbaz, against the party policy, in the election of chief minister Punjab in April.
In this context, three separate notifications issued by ECP de-notified the 20 MPAs who were elected on general seats, three MPAs elected on reserved seats for women and two MPAs elected on reserved seats for non-Muslims.
The de-notified legislators are: Raja Sagheer Ahmed, Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangha, Saeed Akbar Khan, Muhammad Ajmal, Faisal Hayat, Mehar Aslam, Mian Khalid Mehmood, Aleem Khan, Nazir Chohan, Malik Asad, Amin Zulqarnain, Malik Nauman Langrial, Muhammad Salman, Zawar Hussain Warraich, Nazir Ahmad Khan, Fida Hussain, Zahra Batool, Sibtain Raza, Muhammad Tahir, Mohsin Atta Khosa, Uzma Kardar, Aisha Nawaz, Sajida Yousaf, Ijaz Masih and Haroon Imran Gill.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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