Falling Short: ECP cancels Dr Soomro’s Senate election

The petitioner claimed Dr Soomro was not eligible for election to a technocrat seat.

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan declared void on Monday the election of Dr Qayyum Soomro, a close associate of President Asif Ali Zardari, to the upper house of Parliament, ruling that Soomro did not meet the requirements of being a technocrat.

A three-member bench of the commission led by Justice (Retd) Riaz Kayani heard a petition filed by Tariq Mehmood. The petitioner claimed that Dr Soomro was not eligible for election to a technocrat seat, and had also failed to submit details of his assets. He was earlier elected unopposed after Dr Haffez Sheikh resigned on March  7.

The election commission also summoned a meeting of political parties who have applied for election symbols today (Tuesday).

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2013.