2008 poll result: IHC dismisses MNA’s plea to transfer case to another tribunal

PML-Q legislator was accused of rigging during general election.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed a PML-Q legislator’s plea for transferring an election petition filed by a rival contestant from the election tribunal in Balochistan to another tribunal.

In his petition, Sardar Israr Tareen had contended that he had won the National Assembly seat in Loralai with 52,818 votes in the 2008 elections. He said Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasar, a PML-N contestant, filed a petition to the election tribunal in Balochistan calling into question the results of NA-263.

During the trial, the tribunal summoned the election record of 23 polling stations from the returning officer (RO). The RO said that the polling bags from 19 polling stations were found torn. The tribunal decided to de-seat Tareen on the information provided.

However, Tareen challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, which referred the case back to the tribunal for re-trial and restored his membership to the National Assembly.

Tareen believes the tribunal is determined to decide the matter against him, which is why he moved an application to have the case transferred. The IHC did not explain its reason for dismissing the petition in its short order. The detailed verdict will be issued in a few days.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2012.