Ballots will be cast at seven polling stations of NA-19 on January 29. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
With the Supreme Court of Pakistan upholding the election tribunal’s decision regarding the suspension of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) lawmaker from NA-19 and ordering re-election in seven polling stations of Haripur district on January 29, election activity has again picked up in the respective areas.
Residents of Haripur, especially those living in the provincial assembly constituency PK-50, are going to cast their votes for the second time in a week as they exercised their right to vote on January 23 and elected PTI’s Akbar Ayub as their MPA after the disqualification of his elder brother Yusuf Ayub Khan for having a fake degree. However, the voting this time around will be in seven polling stations of Haripur-II.
PTI’s Dr Raja Amir Zaman, son of late caretaker chief minister and federal minister Raja Sikandar Zaman, had defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s candidate and former minister of state for finance Omar Ayub Khan with a margin of over 1,300 votes during the general elections in 2013. However, Khan had challenged the election results pointing out certain anomalies. On Khan’s application, recounting on all the 4,376 polling stations was held and Zaman emerged as the winner again. Khan, the son of former National Assembly speaker and foreign minister Gohar Ayub, did not accept his defeat and moved the election tribunal, accusing the PTI MNA of rigging on seven polling stations. Election tribunal judge Ziauddin Khattak ,after hearing arguments from both sides, suspended Zaman’s basic membership and ordered fresh elections at seven polling stations of the constituency.
Zaman then challenged the tribunal’s decision in the Supreme Court, which upheld it. After the apex court’s decision, the Election Commission of Pakistan fixed January 29 as the date for re-election in the polling stations pointed out by the applicant.
After the announcement of a date for fresh polls, electioneering has picked up in the area with the two candidates engaging with various lobbies and individuals to ensure they bag the maximum number of votes and secure the National Assembly seat of the area this week. Both candidates have accused each other of manipulation and maneuvering. Ballots will be cast at polling stations number 71, 74, 256, 276, 279, 342 and 397.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2014.
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