Gilani's Senate win challenged in ECP

(Karachi) A plea challenging former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s victory in Senate polls has been filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), local media reported on Friday.

As per details, Advocate Azhar Siddique filed the plea with the ECP, stating that the Senate election between Gilani and Hafeez Sheikh was rigged and action should be taken against Maryam Nawaz and Ali Haider Gilani over their confession of rigging the poll.

“Despite clear directions from the Supreme Court, no technology was used by the ECP to ensure transparency of the polls,” Siddique said in his plea.

The case should be filed against Maryam Nawaz and Gilani’s son over violating Election Act and inquiry should be initiated over Gilani’s victory in the Senate in light of Ali Haider’s video and Maryam Nawaz’s statement.

The applicant has urged the ECP not to issue victory notification of Gilani as a senator.

On March 3, after a nail biting contest, Pakistan Peoples Party Candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani won the Senate seat from Islamabad, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Hafeez Sheikh.

Gilani secured 169 votes, while his opponent Sheikh got 164 Senate votes. According to ECP, seven votes were rejected in a one-on-one contest between PDM and PTI on the general seat of the National Assembly.

However, PTI still managed to claim majority in Senate by securing 18 seats followed by PPP with eight seats.