In a wave of legal challenges, the results of more than 30 constituencies of the National and Provincial Assembly in Karachi have been challenged in the Sindh High Court over allegations of rigging.
The electoral landscape in Karachi is embroiled in controversy as numerous candidates seek legal recourse against perceived irregularities, rigging and discrepancies in the recently held elections. Among the constituencies facing challenges are NA-234 Korangi, where MQM’s Aamir Moin’s success is contested; NA-239, where the victory of PPP candidate Nabil Gabol is under scrutiny; MQM’s Arshad Vohra from NA-240 and People’s Party’s Mirza Ikhtiar Baig from NA-241 are also facing challenges to their success in the polls.
The series of petitions challenging the election results continues unabated, with Jamaat-e-Islami joining the fray by contesting the outcomes of four constituencies of the Sindh Assembly.
The success of PPP’s Qadir Patel from NA-243 has been challenged in the Sindh High Court, with the petition filed by PTI candidate Shujaat Ali Advocate. The court has accepted the request for immediate hearings of all petitions related to the election results.
Furthermore, the victories of MQM’s Khawaja Izhaar from NA-247 and Moeed Anwar from PS-101 are also being contested in the Sindh High Court. Allegations of irregularities have led to challenges in various constituencies, with claims of results being changed and discrepancies in the tabulation process. Results from PS-101 in Form 47 were changed to make the MQM candidate win, independent candidate Agha. Moreover, another independent candidate, Abbas Hasnain, claimed that results from NA-247 were changed on Form 47.
“According to Form 45, I had the highest number of votes,” he claimed. The legal battles extend to both the National and provincial assembly seats, with JI challenging the outcomes in several constituencies, including PS-104, PS-124, PS-123, and PS-126. The court proceedings are expected to shed light on the validity of the election results and address concerns raised by the contesting parties.
In a separate development, MQM leader Dr. Farooq Sattar has successfully challenged the results of NA-244 in the Sindh High Court, with his victory contested by an independent candidate backed by PTI, Aftab Jahangir.
Amidst mounting allegations of rigging and electoral malpractice, PTI-backed candidates have emerged as prominent challengers, contesting the outcomes of 19 constituencies across Karachi. The legal battles underscore the significance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process, as stakeholders await the outcomes of the court deliberations.
Earlier, over a dozen petitions were filed in the high courts on Saturday, by several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed candidates challenging the results of Thursday’s elections in their respective constituencies, announced by the returning officers (ROs) concerned.
Most of the election petitions were filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), while two PTI-backed candidates moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the results, and at least three petitions were filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC).
The petitions in the LHC challenged victories of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz; Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) President Aleem Khan in different constituencies in Lahore. PTI-backed Shoaib Shaheen and Ali Bukhari filed petitions in the IHC, against the results of the federal capital’s NA-47 and NA-48 constituencies, respectively. The petitions in the LHC requested the courts to set aside the Form-47 prepared by the Returning Officers (ROs) in their absence, hence depriving them of their right to witness consolidation process of the election’s results.