ISLAMABAD: Former Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s victory in the senate has been challenged in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The petitioner, advocate Azhar Siddiq, stated that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate’s win should be declared null and void as the polls were not transparent and the action should be taken against Maryam Nawaz and Ali Haider Gilani over their confession of rigging the poll.
The petitioner also asked ECP to take action against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and Ali Haider Gilani over the allegations of rigging. According to the petitioner, Haider’s video and Maryam’s statement were evidence of rigging.
In 2017, advocate Azhar Siddiq sought the disqualification of 15 PML-N parliamentarians for allegedly maligning the judiciary.
The plea further added that rigging in elections is a crime and it should be investigated, highlighting that the latest technology was not used in the polls despite the directions of the Supreme Court in this regard.
The plea further asked the electoral authority to investigate horse-trading in the polls and take action against those responsible. ECP, the plea added, should have a case registered against the two over the violation of Section 167, 168, and 170 of the Election Act.
This comes as Yousaf Raza Gilani beat Hafeez Sheikh for Islamabad’s senate seat. Gilani won 169 votes while Hafeez Sheikh was only able to secure 164 votes. This is even though PTI and its allies had a lead of 18 MNAs in the National Assembly.
