NA-122 inquiry: ‘Sadiq not beneficiary of rigging’

Proceedings adjourned for July 7 (today)

LAHORE: Sardar Ayaz Sadiq is not the beneficiary of rigging, Barrister Asjad Saeed, his counsel, said on Monday.

He was giving his arguments before an election tribunal hearing the rigging complaints in the NA-122 constituency. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had defeated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan in the constituency. The PTI had then filed a complaint in the Election Commission, alleging massive rigging in favour of Sadiq. Judge Kazim Ali Malik has been hearing the case.

“Sadiq is not the beneficiary of irregularities. PTI chief Imran Khan wants a re-election in NA-122 even though no irregularity occurred there during the 2013 elections.”

He said that the PTI had no proof to back the rigging claims. “The PTI first submitted an application seeking a local commission. Once the commission submitted its report, it rejected it and levelled allegations against the commission. It has also rejected the NADRA report,” he said.

The tribunal adjourned the proceedings for July 7 (today).

Talking to reporters, PTI’s counsel Anees Ali Hashmi said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s counsel had no substantial reply to the objections raised by him. “The judge repeatedly asked the counsel to respond to my objections one-by-one. However, he had no concrete arguments. People will hear a good news within this Ramazan,” he said.

Earlier, Hashmi argued that there was clear evidence of rigging and Sadiq was the beneficiary of irregularities.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2015.