LHC stops NADRA from verifying votes cast in NA-118 constituency during the May 11 general elections. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) stopped National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) from verifying thumb impressions of votes cast in NA-118 during the May 11 general elections, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The court said that the issue is being heard by the Supreme Court.
Background
On December 4, Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh of LHC had asked the attorney general to assist on a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Riaz challenging an election tribunal’s decision to order the verification of votes cast in NA-118.
The petitioner had submitted that there was no provision in the law for votes to be verified as genuine through thumbprints.
He had also argued that it was impossible to verify all 150,000 votes cast at NA-118. He had said that the election tribunal’s order was illegal and should be declared as such by the LHC.
The tribunal had on November 18, on a plea by Hamid Zaman of the PTI, who was declared the runner up to Riaz at NA-118, directed NADRA to verify that the votes cast at NA-118 were genuine by examining the thumbprints on them.
NADRA chairman Tariq Malik was sacked on December 3 only days after the election tribunal asked NADRA to verify the thumb impressions of voters from the Lahore constituency NA-118, won by PML-N candidate Riaz.
Brig (retd) Zahid Hussain, NADRA’s Sindh director geenral, was given charge. However, within a few hours, Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored Tariq Malik.
COMMENTS (15)
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If this is not the Theatre of the Absurd, what is?
"The petitioner had submitted that there was no provision in the law for votes to be verified as genuine through thumbprints"
Then why did Election commission wasted millions on special Ink, they should explain why they introduced thumb impressions on ballot papers??? why??? can they give any logical explanation??
Next time if i am charged with something and the only way to prove my guilt is finger prints, i gonna take stay-order to save myself. Go common sense, go die, Pakistani courts rule here.
Chaudhary Iftikhar is the worst thing that happened to Pakistan. This is the "independent judiciary" he gave us. Through him, Rana Sanaullah was able to induct his stooges. I doubt LHC will allow this to move any further.
@Zulfiqar : Its simple. Allow me to say that these judges are corrupt to the core and some of them even fear for their life. Its a Sharif mafia that is at work here.
PPP was right when it was pointing out the unholy nexus between the courts and PMLN. And PTI is right in its position regarding the ECP. We saw the last government of Showbaaz Sharif completing its term solely due to a stay order. My guess is the current PMLN government will also complete its term based on this stay order.
This has become one of the biggest jokes ever. Pml-n doing everything to stop verification by any means. Are people just that blind? Sacking of nadra, magnetic issue OMG. stop please!!!!!! So shamefull
This matter is getting so confusing.... SC asking the tribunals to present the report on thumb verification, whereas the LHC stopping the thumb verification process ! Whats actually happening here??
LHC PMLN ECP...what's the use folks!!??
wow