3 Islamabad NA seats: ET postpones proceedings for indefinite period

ISLAMABAD: The election tribunal headed by a retired Lahore High Court (LHC) judge has postponed the proceedings related to alleged ‘foul play’ in general polls on all the three National Assembly seats of Islamabad for indefinite period –following the issuance of related stay orders by the Islamabad High Court (IHC)— on the petitions of the PTI candidates.

The ET comprising of retired LHC judge Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha was scheduled to hear the related cases of NA-46, NA- 47 and NA-48 on Tuesday, before the proceedings had to be postponed indefinitely keeping in view the third stay order, this time for NA-46, was issued by the IHC earlier on Monday.

The stay orders for NA-47 and NA-48 were issued before that.

Three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, Amir Mughal, Shoaib Shaheen and Ali Bukhari, who contested the 8 February general elections, respectively on NA-46, NA-47 and NA-48 seats of Islamabad, moved the ECP against the allegedly massive foul play on these seats in the general elections.

The three contestants respectively lost to Anjum Aqeel Khan, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Raja Khurram Nawaz— all from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) — allegedly under highly questionable circumstances.

The cases were referred to the ET comprising of IHC judge Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri. During the proceedings, the ET raised serious questions related to alleged lack of transparency related to voting on three Islamabad NA seats in the general polls.

The PML-N lawmakers moved the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with the application to change the ET—accusing the ET of “partiality” and “biasness.”

The poll body allowed their applications, moving the cases to an ET comprising of the retired LHC judge.

The PTI leaders moved the IHC against this move. The IHC first issued stay orders in these cases, and directed Justice Jahangiri to continue hearing the cases, but later referred these cases back to the ECP with the direction to hear the cases afresh.

The ECP heard the cases and, earlier this month, again allowed the applications of the PML-N lawmakers to transfer the respective cases related to alleged foul play on these seats from Justice Jahangiri’s ET to that of the retired LHC judge.

The PTI candidates again challenged the ECP’s orders in the IHC. Chief Justice IHC Aamer Farooq has issued the stay orders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024