PESHAWAR: A writ petition filed at the Peshawar High Court on Friday requested the 2013 general elections be declared null and void and the provincial assembly of Punjab along with the National Assembly be dissolved. Moreover, it sought directives for fresh elections with support from the armed forces.
The petition was filed by Advocate Khanzada Ajmal Zaib Khan, citing the president, prime minister, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, defence secretary, chief election commissioner, NADRA chairman and Islamabad’s inspector general of police as respondents.
The petitioner maintained Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had said that about 50,000-60,000 votes cast in different constituencies during the general elections could not be verified by NADRA. He added an FIR was also registered on Thursday at Faisal Town police station, Lahore wherein the prime minister and Punjab chief minister have been nominated for mandating the murder of innocent protesters.
“The prime minister and Punjab chief minister along with other public office holders have no legal sanctity to retain their respective offices due to rigging in the general elections. Therefore, Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek have also requested the removal of both (PM and CM) along with others,” reads the petition.
It also states the actions of PTI chairman and PAT are within the parameters of the 1973 Constitution, adding the petition has been submitted in the interest of the general public at large.
“The admission made by ECP’s former additional secretary Afzal Khan also clearly admitted the rigging and fraud in the general elections of 2013. Therefore, the demand of PTI chairman and PAT are fully correct and legal and the people’s mandate has been snatched.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2014.
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