Pakistan

Election tribunal rules in favour of PTI in NA-125, announces re-polling

PML-N's Khawaja Saad Rafique had emerged victorious in NA-125 over PTI's Hamid Khan in the May 2013 general...

Web Desk May 04, 2015

PHOTO: EXPRESS

An election tribunal ruled in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Monday, announcing re-polling in the coveted NA-125, Lahore Cantt constituency, Express News reported.

Further, the tribunal also announced re-polling in PP-155 constituency (Cantonment).

The decision came after the tribunal found irregularities in the polls that were held in the constituency in the May 2013 general elections.

After the election tribunal declared the NA-125 polls null and void, Khawaja Saad Rafique will have to resign as a Member of National Assembly, according to former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad.

"Rafique can challenge the disqualification in court," Dilshad added.

PTI chairman Imran Khan's wife took to Twitter to celebrate.

Alhamullilah! Tabdeeli ko koi nahi rok sakta #NA125
— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) May 4, 2015

While, PTI leader Asad Umar also tweeted questioning whether the re-polling is the beginning of the end of current assemblies.

NA 125 re election ordered : beginning of the end of the current assemblies???
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) May 4, 2015

I would like to congratulate Hamid Khan over NA125 verdict, @Asad_Umar
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 4, 2015

Saad Rafique always said that if I rigged elections,I should be disqualified, so here it is now, @Asad_Umar
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 4, 2015

Responding to the tribunal’s verdict, Khawaja Saad Rafique said today’s decision is against the incompetence of returning officers and presiding officers.

“The judge ordered re-polling because he feels there are some irregularities,” he said.

PHOTO: MALIK SHAFIQ/EXPRESS

Rafique added, “The judge has punished my party and me for the incompetence of the officers.”

“Today’s decision declared there was no rigging, the judge said there were irregularities owing to incompetence,” he said, adding the verdict is unfair.

Further, Rafique said he has the option of challenging the verdict in the Supreme Court. "My party and legal advisers will make a decision after consultation regarding challenging the verdict in the Supreme Court."

Lashing out at Imran Khan, Rafique alleged, “Imran Khan lies constantly.”

Earlier, the election tribunal had reserved its verdict in a petition accusing PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique of rigging the 2013 election in NA-125 and cancellation of a notification declaring Rafique as the winner from the constituency.

Read: NA-125: Verdict reserved for April 30th

Muhammad Hussain, counsel for petitioner Hamid Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, earlier requested the tribunal to set aside the notification and order a re-election in the constituency.

In December 2014, a National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) report had found over 20 per cent of the votes cast in Lahore’s NA-125 constituency were “bogus."

The vote verification report – spread over 125 pages – was submitted to the election tribunal.

Read: NA-125 constituency: NADRA report shows 280 out of 1,254 votes fake

NADRA checked a total of 1,254 votes and declared 280 bogus. The said votes were rejected for want of verification of thumbprint and CNIC numbers, whereas at some instances, one person had cast multiple votes, the report said.

The petition alleging rigging in PP-155 had been filed by Hafiz Farhat Abbas of the PTI. Mian Naseer of the PML-N had been declared winner in the constituency in the 2013 election by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

A copy of the tribunal's press note obtained by our correspondent Noman Ahmed can be viewed here:

COMMENTS (66)

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply @ishrat salim: I stand corrected. When the papers say 45days that's where I got the information. I live thousands of miles away in Kansas from Pakistan and in actuality my source of information is internet and ET. However I am not involved or support any political party in Pakistan and I could see much clearly than those who are passionately involved with one party or the other. I see corruption is so prevalent in Pakistan that no institution is free of corruption and of course the Judiciary has not come from mars, they are the product of the same society so what is so new about them.

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply @T R Khan: He may win, if he is allowed to contest. By EC rule, if a person stand disqualified due to rigging, he cannot run on the same seat. But then this is Pakistan. The rules have so many loop holes ( deliberately kept) that he may be allowed again, but then it is not the case of winning & loosing, it is PTI`s stance that the election in NA 125 was not fair & that has been proved. PTI stand vindicated. Saad Sb activities has been exposed like MQM in 246 in Karachi. This is the reason that demand of electoral reforms must as per PTI & PAT, while others are not very comfortable with idea, but have very reluctantly agreed to it after the dharna, but till now, although committee formed but no headway made, because most of the members from other parties not very much interested & that exposes their un fair intentions. System has to change, minset has to change, we cannot go on accepting & living through the same system. While we all praise the system prevailing in the West, many & most of us are not willing to bring change in our prevailing system, because it suits them...

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ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply @salman: 120 days not 90 days , please read the EC constitution. That goes too for those people who are saying 45 days, pleas! do some research - no offence.

T R Khan | 9 years ago | Reply The irony is that Saad may win again.

Asad Hasan | 9 years ago | Reply Mr. Saad Rafique is right in saying why is he and his voters being penalized. The correct procedure should have been to annul the wrongly cast votes and only count the correct ones. Recount the votes instead of unseating Mr. Rafique.

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply @Naeem Khan: It is 120 days from the date of electioneering not 45 days. This mistake many are making & I wonder from where did you all get this 45 days, which exposes our intellectual capacity. With due respect, please do not comment only for the sake of commenting but with proper facts. It is the dishonesty on the part of the presiding ex judges of the election tribunal who have exceeded its mandate of 120 days because of financial gain. Imagine, who would want to let go of Pk Rs 10 lac per month. So, let us not praise these leeches ex judges, please! it was their duty & responsibility, but have failed only due to their personal interest. Had they performed as per rule, there would have been less controversy & no dharnas. These ex judges of the ET are equally responsible for the mess we are in today. The best part, EC has not taken any extension with regard to time extension from 120 days to 2 years running now & this lacunae may soon be challenged in the court. These ex judges will also have to answer about their conduct in front of Allah swt soon.

muhammad waqar | 9 years ago | Reply i think this decision by the election tribunal will not change anything. recent election proved everything pti cannot get this seat from saad rafiq after 2 years

Leastbothered | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan wants you people to talk on development projects, economy and other important issues. This seems more like saas Bahu fight which is practically of no use to us.

Ranjha | 9 years ago | Reply @Malveros: Your name means LIAR in Latin. Go check the dictionary. Typical Noora lying fourth generation darbari

Zahid | 9 years ago | Reply Wel don our great judges and their judgment we believe our judgres thank you our hounrable judges Kick them these courrept polititions

ziaurrehman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqui: Not this noora again...

Mamu | 9 years ago | Reply i can smell adnan siddique burning inside out.

Atif I. Malik | 9 years ago | Reply NA 122 forensic report: On the day of May 11th, 2013 Ayaz Sadiq scored a victory Imran Khan by a margin of 8945 votes. Today NADRA submitted its forensic report in which it has declared over ten thousand votes to be utterly bogus and fraudulent. In other words, Ayaz Sadiq concocted his victory through stuffing of ballots. Tommorow the report shall be submitted before the Tribunal. Game over for Noon League!!!

Ejaz Maqsood | 9 years ago | Reply Nothing wrong done by Khawaja Saad Rafiq. Why is he punished by Election Tribunal? Shame for Election Tribunal.

ZAK | 9 years ago | Reply Every citizen has right to write. However there are quite a few who are not happy with current progress of Govt. We want development in the country and I personally support N positive steps in right direction.

BABA | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqui: Thats the best you got ?? Try harder to come up with a better reason

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqui: Lol. Son, even by your standards, that is a pretty desperate comment. I feel your humiliation..

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Blithe: Yes, and the decision would not have come if PTI did not protest and do dharnas. And this decision should have come in 90 days not 2 years. So you system clearly isn't working without pressures applied.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Malveros: It means one thing. Saad is out of a job :)

Adnan Siddiqui | 9 years ago | Reply This election was rigged by the PTI in order to show that NS rigged the election. Niazi needs to be behind bars.

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan's Election Commission is the most incompetent and rigged by certain interested parties and that is why it took the more than 2 years to decide the fraudulent election of NA-125, it should have been done within 45 days as required by law but then ruling class has been not known to obey the laws of the land and respect the constitution. Now that Mr.Rafique should and must pay back all the money and perks he has received in the past 2-3 years and this guy was a minister of all the things Railways. It shows how corrupt our elite and ruling class is.

Malik Tariq | 9 years ago | Reply @ZAK: It is not Railways that started moving, but only the construction, real estate and land grabbing with help of parwaris that was accelerating for Khawaja Jee.

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply It seems there has been some ballot fraud, we don't know to what extent. If Mr.Khawaja Saad Rafique is a decent man which I doubt should and Must pay back all the payments plus other perks which he has received for the past 3 years to the State of Pakistan Treasury and vacate the premises right away. He could appeal if he wants to but on his own money and not be fleecing the tax payers. But all this what I am saying will happen in a democratic law abiding country, not in our country where the elite steal every thing in sight in day light from the citizens and the hapless citizens can't do a damn thing about it. Mark my words for it , this man came in by cheating and he will not go away voluntarily but has to be dragged out of the Assembly and it's housing.

OBSERVER | 9 years ago | Reply PTI will face the same humiliation as they faced in NA256 if reelection is held NA125

Malik Tariq | 9 years ago | Reply Almost every voter of Lahore DHA is witness to the hooliganism, threats and intimidation resorted to by both Khawaja Saad and Mian Naseer.. Declaring winning Prize Bonds almost every year by KSR is quite different but manoeuvring elections s a different matter. Time for ECP to have the courage to stand up and deliver.

bilal | 9 years ago | Reply Now we understand why PMLN tried all delaying tactics. Shame on PMLN leaders.

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply PTI trolls need to accept the system. The system gave this verdict and the system won. The miscreants and hooligans on d chowk did not . Let's see what happens with the re-polling . Could be PMl n maintaining the seat, even though PTI starts and stops at Lalic Chowk, DHA

Gul Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Not PTT has won, nor N League has lost; rather Pakistan is the winner! Love u judges! Keep delivering justice! n my beloved nation, Plz keep voting good ppl, of any party, with gud character! Be "0" tolerent to corruption & injustice, Love u all, love the tribune!

ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Enjoy the benefits for 2 years and if caught in rigging, go home!!! The laws need a change where such persons should be asked to refund all the benefits they enjoyed and should be banned for 2 elections and also banned for 5 years from holding any public office. How about asking them to do charity work for 2 years. .

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply @Malveros: It is not the intention of PTI to win all & every seat, but they stand vindicated that 2013 result of NA 125 was not fair. If cantonment election is any indicator, it is again proved that PTI has been a second party leaving behind PPP who claims to be a bigger party than PTI. Actual result is during general election....in sha Allah.

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply @ZAK: you are one of those who looks at such issues with suspicion & become part of the conspiracy theory.This is 1 of the 4 constituencies which IK/ PTI had demanded to be opened for irregularity, with delay by the election tribunal & govt`s arrogance forced IK/PTI to go for dharna. It seem IK/PTI stands vindicated in this case & more to come in sha Allah. Truth shall always prevail. It is not the intention of IK/PTI to win all seat but to prove that people`s mandate have been stolen through manipulation & that the 2013 election has not be fair & transparent. Point in this case is NA 246. PTI & JI knew that they will not win during re-election, but proved that people should vote without fear & intimidation & no one party can sweep the mandate in its favor. In NA 246 PTI was the second winner & it has very rightly won got the second slot, which was an achievement by itself. Till today, most of the announced results of 2013 do not have form 14, 15 & 16 & this will be one of the basis of irregularity in JC.

Usman | 9 years ago | Reply Ayyaz Sadiq will be the next to fall InshAllah

Annoyed | 9 years ago | Reply @ZAK: Are you serious? If country is really moving in the right direction, how can just ONE decision derail your 'remarkable' progress? If you are true, even if N is kicked out, country will keep 'progressing'. BTW, its moving in the right direction because wardee is controlling the steering now.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Malveros: Come off it son. Everyone knows saad cheated. Now it's official.

Abid Shah Mashwani | 9 years ago | Reply Justice Delayed is Justice Denied - Per constitution these tribunal should decide within 45 days but when Tribunal takes 2 years, then this is what happened. A person, not even elected by people ran Pakistan railways, delivered scores of nonsense speeches in the NA, and disbursed at his will billions of ruppees funds. If you gave billions of ruppees funds to any one, and full powers of a federal minister for two years and then you ask him to rerun for an election, what would you expect from him? First tribunal should decide one way or other, with available evidence within 45 days, second once they disqualify a winner, the runner up should be automatic winner plus disqualified person should not be allowed to run next or may be next two elections.

Malveros | 9 years ago | Reply @PMLN Supporter: Nice try PTI Troll.

public | 9 years ago | Reply @Gramscian: Adnan S has crawled back under the rock he crawled out from.

Javaid Bashir | 9 years ago | Reply Justice finally done by the election tribunal. The verdict is clear. We do not need Khawaja Saad Rafique 's twisted interpretation of the judgment. The rigging has been proved in the NA 125 constituency, and he stands disqualified. There are no ifs and buts about it. We congratulate Hamid Khan for putting up a valiant fight. It is just the beginning not the end. Let us celebrate the victory. Liar Saad is exposed for rigging in the election. He must go.

Malveros | 9 years ago | Reply Looks like PTI trolls have no clue about the ruling from the tribunal which in my view is a wrong decision. Do they realize that the few bogus votes discovered are from few of the 60 polling stations where Hamid Khan won. A massive disgraceful defeat awaits Hamid Khan. Reham Khan needs to stop chirping so much on TV. PTI trolls need to pay attention to the Lahore Cantonment election results as that will be replicated in the by-election.

Ali Shamsher | 9 years ago | Reply Is there any difference between re-polling and re-election?

ZAK | 9 years ago | Reply Whenever country start moving in right direction a new decision challenging govt rit comes in. In Pakistan you cannot move in right direction b/c outside forces has strong influence on decidion making. Railway wss start moving in right direction. This nation cannot move forward. New fitnas are coming again and again.

Malik Safiullah Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Now the Judges should also decide that Saad Rafiq is to return all the moneys and benefits he got during the time he was enjoying as a MP and should also pay penalty for stealing mandate.

Gramscian | 9 years ago | Reply Adnan Siddiqui, dear where are you? Please I am waiting for your comments. Come and defend your masters.

Sohail Abbasi | 9 years ago | Reply Slap on the faces of those people who were saying that imran khan is crying for nothing and he want to derail the government SHAME SHAME

VEGO | 9 years ago | Reply What a balanced and justified decision on NA 125. The remains of the starch still exist in SR as the punishment in he case has not been awarded except the re-polling in the constituency.

Two Cents | 9 years ago | Reply @umair: Actually he hasnt been found guilty of rigging, so cant be jailed just yet.

Qamber | 9 years ago | Reply "NOORA" Finally Proved...!

Mubashir | 9 years ago | Reply Moral booster for PTI. Alter a long pause they can speak again. Ending of dharna, returning to assemblies, defeat in NA 246, defeat in Local bodies had made PTI silent. And of course MQM will be off the guns now. Good for them aswell.

roarwali | 9 years ago | Reply A blow hard and ferocious for PMLN. PTI stance vindicated.

KH | 9 years ago | Reply I want to see the reaction of PTI once the higher court reverses the decision, the same courts will become bad....

A-No.1 | 9 years ago | Reply Perhaps the verdict came due to the fear of JC findings?

Libra | 9 years ago | Reply He should also be disqualified for contesting any election and holding any Public or govt. position. Must also be restricted to be appointed as Special assistant or Adviser. Let this country be cleaned from rotten stuff.

Malveros | 9 years ago | Reply The decision means nothing. Irregularities are common in elections and u cannot de-seat a person based on finding one person voted six times in 6 different polling stations. The seat will again go to PML(N) and Hamid Khan will have to face humiliation again in defeat. Need to remember the victory margin was 40000. A few hundred bogus votes here and there won't make a difference.

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply This explains everything. All those cheap delaying tactics used by the government, creating hurdles in the way of election probe, the sudden activism of Saad Rafique just prior to the Azadi March, the daily non-nonsensical press conferences of Parvez Rasheed, Imran Khan being labeled as Ilzam Khan and bla bla bla. In the end, I must say, it was all worth it.

PMLN Supporter | 9 years ago | Reply I am ashamed of myself being a PMLN supporter.

lalai | 9 years ago | Reply First drop of rain. Many more to come??

OSD | 9 years ago | Reply Lets have the elections here. We need to settle this question once and for all!

Bigram | 9 years ago | Reply Finally.

Waseem Sarwar | 9 years ago | Reply LOL.

Abaid | 9 years ago | Reply Breathing space for MQM now...

Bunty | 9 years ago | Reply Shame on those parties who stole people mandate... especially PML N... now PM should be ashamed of himself... which is rare case in Pakistan...

Atheist_Pakisani | 9 years ago | Reply How can any sane Pakistani even vote for Khawaja Saad Rafique? You can see corruption right on his face. Let alone the fact he completely destroyed Pakistan Railway and his numerous private real estate abroad.

umair | 9 years ago | Reply We want justice and merit in Pakistan trains or metro buses are came last of our priority. If there if merit in Pakistan we don't need foreign assessment. Those who find guilty for rigging must be jailed and their property seized.

Muneeb_Hanif | 9 years ago | Reply Eagerly awaiting those noora trolls to show their faces now...yes i am looking at you "Adnan Siddique" a gr8 victory for Pakistan...dair aai durust aai..

Haroon | 9 years ago | Reply hello hello! now this really really interesting! saad boy, what do you have to say in your defense? like ppp, i have a feeling noonies are going to eliminated from politics as well!

oBSERVER | 9 years ago | Reply May Allah SWT shower His blessings on the Hon'ble Judges. You have done great service to this country and its Judiciary. I am proud of you all. Pakistan Zindabad.

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