The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is most likely to challenge the election tribunal's decision ordering re-election on NA-125 Lahore, the constituency of Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, in the Supreme Court. Party sources said that senior party leadership is dilating on the options of going for by-election or challenging the decision in the apex court.
"The final decision would be taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is also the president of the party, but we will most likely approach the Supreme Court against the decision of the tribunal," a senior PML-N leader said. He opined that the party leadership had reservations over the decision on technical grounds. He said that the party's legal team was studying the tribunal's decision for 'technical faults' as the tribunal had given its verdict based on irregularities in only seven polling stations. "I personally believe, we should approach the Supreme Court, as we have the option to challenge the verdict in the apex court," he said.
Former Secretary ECP, Kanwar Dilshad said that Khawaja Saad Rafique was no more Minister for Railways legally and morally after the tribunal directed re-election on NA-125. He suggested that he should tender his resignation to Prime Minister and leave the office until getting relief from the Supreme Court. However, an official of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told Business Recorder that the commission had not yet received the detailed judgement of election tribunal. He maintained that the commission would issue a notification regarding de-seating of Khawaja Saad Rafique as Member National Assembly after receiving the judgement.