Summary The ECP has ordered re-election in the Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-26.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has nullified the election in Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-26-Quetta, of after an Afghan citizen was elected as Member Provincial Assembly (MPA).
A two-member commission headed by ECP member Sindh Abdul Ghaffar Somroo took up the petition filed by Maulana Muhammad Ali Turabi for hearing Thursday.
During the course of hearing, Counsel of both elected MPA Ahmad Ali and runner-up candidate Maulana Wali Muhammad Turabi appeared before the ECP.
One member of the commission Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi from Punjab inquired from the Counsel of Turabi that whether he has submitted an application in the Balochistan High Court? The Counsel for Wali Muhammad Turabi replied that notices have been issued to respondents by the Balochistan High Court.
ECP member from Sindh Abdul Ghaffar Somroo said according to the report, Ahmad Ali is an Afghan citizen therefore PB-26 election is declared null and void.
ECP ordered re-election in the constituency besides rejecting the petition of Maulana Wali Muhammad Turabi who prayed the court to declare him as winning candidate instead of Ahmad Ali. Commission remarked, how can we impose you on people who didn’t cast vote in your favor?
ECP member said that there is no such scope in the law that runner-up could be declared as successful candidate after the disqualification of elected member.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ahmad Ali was elected MPA from PB-26 by securing 5,117 votes during July 25 general elections against Wali Muhammad who had bagged 3,242 votes.
