Top court rejects petitions against redrawing of constituencies in Balochistan

CJP Nisar says if matter is touched then delimitation of constituencies throughout country will be affected

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the petitions filed against the delimitation of constituencies in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, took up different petitions filed against delimitations of constituencies in the said provinces.



The CJP remarked after hearing the arguments of the lawyers that “it is not necessary that SC hears every case”.

The CJP further said, “If the matter of delimitation of constituencies is touched then the delimitation of constituencies throughout the country will be affected and we will not let the delimitation of constituencies of the country get affected.”

CJP further said that I will hear all the petitions /cases regarding delimitations of constituencies.

The court dismissed nine petitions filed against the delimitations of constituencies of Kachi Jal Magsi, Balochistan and Haripur, K-P.



At the end of the previous month, the then PkMAP MPA and Public Accounts Committee Chairman Majeed Khan Achakzai, former senator Saifullah Magsi, MNA Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai, MPA Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, Naseer Ahmed Shahwani and other politicians had challenged Balochistan’s new delimitation in the Balochistan High Court (BHC).

The divisional bench of the BHC had announced to conduct regular hearings in the matter of fresh delimitation in Balochistan.

The bench, comprising Justice Naeem Akhter Afghan and Justice Abdullah Baloch, observed that hearing on a regular basis would help in reaching a quick judgement regarding the delimitation as the country was heading towards elections.



The bench had also observed that the elections date would not affect the petitions filed against the ECP’s new delimitation in the country.

Arbab Tahir Advocate, Shah Muhammad Jatoi Advocate, Naseebullah Tareen Advocate, Attaullah Langove Advocate, ECP’s law officer Haroon Kasi and representative Mehran Khan appeared before the court during the hearing.

On general election date announced by President Mamnoon Hussain, the bench remarked, “The elections’ date (July 25) won’t affect hearing in which petitioners challenged the newly marked delimitation by the ECP. To announce final judgement as quick as we can, the court will hear the petitioners on a regular basis.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of both the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) had held a protest demanding redrawing of the province’s constituencies according to the census.

The protest was held in front of the Quetta Press Club. They told the workers present during the protest that their demand was “delineation of constituencies”.