NA-125 Lahore case SC to differentiate between intentional, unintentional irregularities

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to differentiate between intentional and unintentional irregularities in NA-125 Lahore. Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf's candidate from the constituency Hamid Zahid Khan had alleged that his rival candidate - incumbent Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, won the seat in general elections through rigging.
In May 2015, an Election Tribunal had asked the Election Commission to hold re-election in NA-125 within next sixty days and de-seated Khawaja Saad Rafique as member National Assembly in response to the plea of Hamid Khan that grave irregularities were found in the constituency during May 2013 general elections. However, taking up the appeal against the decision, the Supreme Court had stayed the tribunal's decision and restored Rafiq as MNA by accepting his appeal for regular hearing.
Appearing before a three-judge bench of the Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, counsel for the appellant Khawaja Haris admitted that some irregularities took place during the election in the constituency but there was no rigging. However, the court asked him to come up with a comparative analysis chart for the bench assistance to examine the matter whether the irregularities took place in the constituency due to maladministration or as the result of intentional move. Hearing of the matter was adjourned till November 19 (today).