ECP restores PPP's Ali Hassan Zehri as winner of 2024 Hub polls just a day after ordering recount

In a dramatic turn of events, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued a notification declaring Ali Hassan Zehri of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) the returned candidate from Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-21 (Hub), just a day after ordering a recount for the seat.

A day earlier, the commission had issued a short order directing a recount at 39 polling stations in PB-21 Hub. The majority decision was delivered by ECP member Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan.

The 2-1 verdict stated that the commission had accepted an application filed by Zehri and directed that a recount be conducted at the specified polling stations within three working days. However, within 24 hours of that order, the ECP declared Zehri the winner from the constituency.

“Pursuant to the order Dated Feb 25th 2026, passed by the Election Commission of Pakistan … and as a result of recounting at (39) polling stations conducted by the returning officer, PB-21 Hub, the notification dated Dec 19, 2024, is hereby restored, Whereby Ali Hassan Zehri was declared the returned candidate from PB-21 Hub,” the notification issued on Thursday stated.

Controversial recount

The case centres on PB-21 (Hub), where a recount conducted at 39 polling stations two months after the Feb 8, 2024 general elections resulted in a dramatic reshuffling of results.

The recount declared PPP’s Zehri the winner, although in the original count he had not even been placed as runner-up.

Under the initial results, Muhammad Saleh Bhootani of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) had secured more than double the votes obtained by Zehri and was declared the winner.

Following the recount, however, Bhootani was pushed down to third place. The overall turnout figure also shifted, with the percentage of polled votes rising from 55.15 per cent to 58.48pc.

The controversy deepened after a significant alteration in electoral figures was linked to the arrest of five individuals from the strong room where the electoral record had been stored.

The suspects were allegedly found in possession of three plastic bags containing fake ballot papers and were accused of attempting to tamper with ballots on Feb 11, 2024, only hours after the ECP first ordered a recount at the 39 polling stations.

Read: FCC suspends PPP's Zehri, orders recount

A closer examination of the revised figures revealed sharp numerical shifts. Votes originally secured by Bhootani fell from 30,910 to 17,403 — a reduction of 13,507 votes. At the same time, rejected votes increased from 3,648 to 17,155 — an identical rise of 13,507 votes.

Meanwhile, the total number of polled votes climbed from 76,976 to 87,483, reflecting an increase of 10,507 votes.

Of this increase, 9,854 votes were added to Zehri’s tally, raising his total from 14,120 to 23,974. Rajab Ali, who had originally been the runner-up, received an additional 441 votes and retained his second position.

The remaining 212 votes were distributed among other candidates, with no additional votes credited to Bhootani.

Zehri was formally notified as the returned candidate from PB-21 on Dec 19, 2024. The ECP had initially ordered the recount on Feb 11, 2024, but the process was marred by violence, arrests and allegations of fake ballots.

After prolonged litigation, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Nov 20, 2024 annulled all prior proceedings and directed the ECP to decide the matter afresh.

Despite the directive, the ECP, in a split 3-2 decision on Dec 16, 2024, upheld the recount and notified Zehri as the winner. This prompted Bhootani to challenge the decision before the Balochistan High Court and subsequently the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).

Earlier this month, the FCC suspended Zehri’s notification and directed the ECP to re-examine the pending recount requests.