NA-122 case: PTI seeks verification of thumb impressions

Tribunal fixes Feb 21 for arguments on request.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday requested the election tribunal hearing a rigging complaint in NA-122 election to verify thumb impressions on counterfoils. Judge Kazim Ali Malik fixed February 21 for arguments on the application.

The PTI’s counsel claimed that the ballot papers issued at the polling stations were doubtful. “There are several polling stations where the packing invoices were issued twice. The serial numbers on the invoices do not match with the ones on Form 15. A large number of the forms have no serial numbers. It seems the genuine election record of the polling stations has been falsified,” the counsel said. “Under such circumstances, the status of the ballot papers issued at the polling stations is doubtful,” he said. He requested the court to order the verification of the thumb impressions.

The counsel representing Sardar Ayaz Sadiq told the court that the PTI was playing delaying tactics. “Now that final arguments are being heard in the case, the PTI has submitted another application. The tribunal has earlier disposed of two such applications,” he said.

The judge agreed to hear further arguments on the application.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2015.