ECP annuls MPA Kohzad’s win, orders re-election in PB-26

Bench rejects appeal for declaring runner-up the winner

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday ordered re-polling in Quetta’s provincial assembly constituency PB-26 after declaring the election of MPA Ahmed Ali Kohzad null and void because of his Afghan nationality.

Kohzad, the candidate of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) had received 5,117 votes in the July 25 general elections against runner-up Wali Muhammad of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s (MMA) 3,242 votes.

The lawyers for both candidates appeared before the ECP’s two-member bench headed by Sindh member Abdul Ghaffar Soomro on Thursday.



During the proceedings, Soomro quoted a report saying that Kohzad is an Afghan national. Hence,

PB-26 poll could be declared null and void, he added.

ECP Punjab member Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi mentioned a writ petition submitted to the Balochistan High Court (BHC) by the MMA candidate against Kohzad’s election, alleging that he was an Afghan national.

In addition to this, Kohzad himself had approached the BHC against the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) for blocking his computerised national identity card(CNIC). In an earlier hearing, the Quetta deputy commissioner submitted a report in court saying that the HDP leader was an Afghan national.

Muhammad’s lawyer said the BHC had already issued notices to the parties involved in the case. He requested that the runner-up be declared the winner.

The ECP rejected the request. The Punjab member asked, “How can we impose you on those who have not given you a vote?”

Qureshi added that there was no provision within the law for declaring a runner-up winner after the elected candidate was disqualified.

Subsequently, the ECP declared Kohzad’s election null and void and ordered re-polling in PB-26.