Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supported runner-up candidates have filed petitions against election results in Karachi, says in media reports. A lawyers group headed by Jibran Nasir Advocate has filed petitions in Sindh High Court seeking suspension of winning candidates’ notifications. Petitioners said that according to Form 45, they have bagged more votes than the candidates’ declared winners in election. PTI-supported candidates Aftab Jahangir, Tariq Hussain, Rabistan Khan, Ataullah, Salehzada, Khurram Sherzaman, Ramzan Ghanchi, Murad Shaikh, Dawa Khan Sabir, Ghulam Qadir, Faheem Khan, Syed Faisal Ali, Shakeel Ahmed, Bashir Sodhar, Abdul Qadeer, M. Yasir and Shafeeq Shah have challenged the election results. The victories of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Mustafa Kamal and Dr Farooq Sattar on MNA seats were challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC) earlier on Monday. PTI-backed independent candidates, Dawa Khan Sabir and Aftab Jahangir, who lost to Mustafa Kamal and Farooq Sattar, challenged election results.

Khan in his plea said according to Form 45, he won the election with 53,000 votes, but the result was allegedly changed in Form 47 and Kamal was declared winner from NA-242. Jibran Nasir, the counsel of the PTI-backed candidate, pleaded to the SHC to nullify the Form 47. Separately, the victory of Dr Farooq Sattar from NA-244 was also challenged in the high court. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered re-polling in a few polling stations of one National Assembly and two provincial assembly constituencies. According to a statement, the re-polling in the relevant polling stations will be held on February 15th and the final results of these constituencies will be announced after compilation of complete results. The repolling will be held in polling stations of NA-88 Khushab-II, PS-18 Ghotki-I, and PK-90 Kohat-I where complaints regarding snatching or wastage of ballot papers were registered.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)