SC dismisses PTI petition challenging Khawaja Asif's election as MNA

Top court rejects claims of electoral rigging against the defence minister

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging the election of Khawaja Asif as Member of the National Assembly (MNA).

The petition was filed by PTI's Usman Dar challenging the victory of the defence minister from the NA-110 constituency.

I am humbled...Alhamdolillah.I have no words to thank Almighty.. Supreme court has endorsed the will of people of Sialkot ..

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 10, 2016

Asif emerged victorious in the May 2013 general elections in NA-110 Sialkot – one of the four constituencies where the PTI had sought vote audit and re-election through separate election petitions.



On June 20, Asif’s counsel Rashdeen Qasuri appeared before the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and requested the court to decide the case at the earliest, saying his client was being harassed by his opponents on media.

On June 7, NADRA submitted its report without the record of 29 polling stations where the bags were said to have gone missing. In January this year, the Supreme Court ordered the verification of votes in the Sialkot constituency within three months.

PTI chairman Imran Khan had alleged massive rigging in the 2013 general elections, with the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) turning out to be largely successful.



However, on July 23 2015, a three-judge inquiry commission probing into systematic rigging in the 2013 general elections rejected the allegations.

The commission in its 237-page report said despite some lapses on part of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “the 2013 general elections were in large part organised and conducted fairly and in accordance with the law.”