ECP resumes hearing on NA-75 by-elections case

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has resumed hearing on National Assembly (NA) constituency NA-75 Daska by-elections case today (Thursday).

During the proceedings, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawyer has said it’s a matter of the entire constituency and that Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Zulfiqar Virk has yet to be removed from his post.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has changed its lawyer and hired Barrister Ali Zafar for the case

Earlier, the returning officer had recommended to hold re-voting in 14 polling stations in the constituency while the PML-N had demanded re-elections in the entire constituency.

In the previous hearing, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja said re-polling could be held in the constituency if the commission found that the elections were not conducted in a fair way.

The returning officer told that there was no difference in the results of polling stations 50, 47, 9 and 140. The results of three polling stations were received on Watsapp with a delay, he told.

Sikandar Sultan Raja had assured to hold transparent trial of the case.

The returning officer in NA-75 Daska had withheld the by-polls results in NA-75 Daska due to violence and alleged vote fraud. The results will now be announced by the ECP after proper inquiry.

According to the unofficial results of 337 polling stations, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Nosheen Iftikhar (97,588 votes) was leading Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Ali Asjad Malhi (94,541 votes). However, results of 23 polling stations were delayed.

The returning officer had expressed doubts over the results of 20 polling stations in the preliminary report.

While responding to the move, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz had demanded re-election in NA-75 constituency in Daska and said that after stealing flour, sugar, electricity and vote, the entire polling officials were also whisked away. “The polling officials had no answer when they were asked where they were at the time of violence,” she said.

Maryam Nawaz said that the people of Daska defeated those who tried to steal the votes.

Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan had advised PTI candidate to ask ECP for re-poll in 20 polling stations of NA-75 Daska, by-elections and said that we have always struggled for fair and free elections.

He said opposition is crying hoarse over in the Daska NA-75 by-election adding that we are seeking open ballot for Senate elections because we want transparency.