Four-year dispute: Bhayo challenges Ghous Bux Mahar’s election in court

Judge temporarily suspends injunction on re-polling in 47 polling stations of NA 203.

KARACHI:

In a challenge to Sardar Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, a key member of the Bhayo clan has asked how is it possible that in some polling stations 90% of the constituency voted. A petition by Sardar Abdul Wahid Bhayo, a Pakistan Peoples Party ticket holder and candidate from NA 203 Shikarpur, was heard by Justice Faisal Arab of the election tribunal of the Sindh High Court on Friday.

Bhayo’s lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan relied on a number of documents to show the court that the voting rate in certain polling stations in the constituency was 90%, which he argued was unbelievable and exemplifies the magnitude of bogus voting. The rate went from 12% to the maximum of 90%, Khan told The Express Tribune. In court, he maintained that genuine voters were either harassed to turn back or vote in favour of the Shikarpur sardar.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s website, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar bagged 89,921 votes to beat Bhayo, who won 39,123 votes. A total of 129,376 votes were valid. Ghous Bux has traditionally won from this area and Wazirabad is considered his family stronghold. He is the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q in Sindh.

After going through the documents, the tribunal ordered re-polling in 47 polling stations to decide the four-year-old election dispute. But then, Ghous Bux’s lawyer, Abdul Sattar Pirzada, requested some time in order to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.

Justice Faisal Arab allowed the request and suspended his order for 14 days so that the MNA could seek a remedy before the apex court.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th,  2011.