ISLAMABAD: The electoral body reserved its verdict on Wednesday in the case regarding alleged foul play in the by-election in the National Assembly’s constituency NA-240 held in June this year.
A three-member ECP bench comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, and former Justice Ikramullah Khan heard the case.
In the hearing, a counsel for Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) head Mustafa Kamal appeared before the bench to conclude his arguments.
The defence lawyer stated that Kamal was cleared in the inquiry report launched by Sindh Police regarding NA-240 debacle. He said the Sindh Police investigated the case thoroughly and arrested some suspects that were allegedly involved in the stealing of ballot papers in NA-240.
The returning officer (RO) of NA-240 also appeared before the ECP and submitted his report on the stealing of ballot papers. The bench then reserved its verdict.
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) managed to give quite a tough time to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in the Korangi by-election and lost this seat with a thin margin of only 65 votes.
Muhammad Abu Bakar from MQM-P bagged 10,683 votes followed by 10,618 votes received by ShahzadaShahbaz from TLP. Syed Rafiuddin from MuhajirQaumi Movement got 8,383 votes. Nasir Raheem from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ended up fourth with 5,248 votes, and Shabbir Kaimkhani from PSP got 4,797 votes.
A total of 25 candidates were in the run for this seat that fall vacant due to the death of Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan from MQM-P in April this year.
The by-election saw some incidents of violence involving firing and physical scuffles between rival groups in which one person was said to have lost his life.
The ECP took up this case after fingers were pointed at it over the commission’s apparent failure to holda free and fair election.
In July this year, the ECP dismissed as unsatisfactory Sindh Police’s inquiry report into alleged foul play in NA-240 and suspended the district returning officer (DRO) and RO of this seat.
The inquiry report identified five persons found involved in the snatching/stealing of ballot papers in polling station number 87, located in Zamanabad, Landhi, in Korangi – who belonged to the PSP.
In addition, the inquiry report revealed that the deployment of police personnel was insufficient due to which police failed to control the groups that were involved in violence—and the presiding officer remained “confused” in dealing with the situation.
The inquiry report further revealed that the identity of the person who brought the ballot papers back to the police station was unknown.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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