The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday binned the plea of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif against his defeat in NA-15 Mansehra. According to unofficial and unconfirmed results from all polling stations in the constituency, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independent candidate Shahzada Gustasap Khan won the seat with 105,249 votes, while Nawaz Sharif remained second with 80,382 votes. Following defeat in the constituency, Sharif challenged the victory notification of Shahzada Gustasap from NA-15. Sharif in his plea stated that the Form 45 of 125 polling stations of the NA-15, Mansehra constituency were not issued.

Kala Dhakka area of the constituency has been very backward and means of communications have been disturbed due to snowfall in the area, Sharif’s counsel said. The counsel alleged that presiding officers had pushed out polling agents “It is the election commission’s responsibility to ensure transparent election,” the lawyer argued. “The elections were not transparent in NA-15,” Nawaz Sharif’s counsel claimed. “The Form 47 could not be issued without Form 45,” he said. He pleaded for restraining final issuance of final notification of NA-15 result. The ECP after hearing the matter, rejected Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif’s plea and ordered the returning officer of the constituency to release Form 49.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)