The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday rejected a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the success of Pakistan People Party (PPP) candidate Abdul Hakeem Baloch in the by-election of NA-237. Have you gone to the election tribunal? the court asked a question from the lawyer for the PTI. If there is any irregularity or rigging, you have the option of going to the election tribunal,the court said to him. We had gone to the election commission, but the door was not opened [for us], PTIawyer Shahab Imam Advocate said. The option to go to the election tribunal is there only after the election is over, he added. The judge then asked the PTI lawyer did he know where the election tribunal is? The PTI had on Tuesday last challenged the NA-237 by-election result in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The plea moved by PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi had alleged that massive rigging had taken place during the by-election in NA-237. The workers of the Pakistan People Party cast fake votes during Sunday by-poll, the plea had further said. The SHC had been prayed to order an impartial inquiry into the matter. On Sunday, PPP candidate Abdul Hakeem Baloch had defeated former prime minister Imran Khan in Karachi NA-237 Malir constituency. PPP candidate had obtained 32,567 votes while Imran Khan stood second with 22,493 votes, as per unofficial result. Later in a news conference, the former prime minister had demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold re-election in Karachi NA-237 constituency, accusing Pakistan People Party (PPP) resorting to rigging.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP