Clean bowled: RO rejects PTI's petiton against rigging at NA-125 Lahore

Hamid Khan had alleged Saad Rafique rigged elections at NA-125 in Lahore.

LAHORE: The returning officer rejected Hamid Khan’s petition regarding rigging done by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique who won in NA-125 Lahore, Express News reported on Tuesday.

Hamid Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) alleged that at NA-125, the PML-N candidates and their agents, “in a systematic, deliberate and pre-planned scheme … with the active connivance and support of presiding officers and the police” cast bogus votes and tampered with ballot boxes and ballot papers.

Khan sought a recount of the votes and verification of the counts furnished by the presiding officer.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Saad Rafique had said that the PTI should accept its defeat in the constituency rather than make accusations aimed at casting doubt on the PML-N mandate.

He had further said that if the PTI chief could be defeated in Lahore, it was no surprise that he should defeat Khan.

On Monday, Returning Officer Khalid Mehmood Bhatti issued notice to the PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique (winner at NA-125), for May 14, on the complaint of losing PTI candidate Hamid Khan.