im DSC00940Election Tribunal Orders Re-Polling In NA122, Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq Disqualified

By ;Asghar Ali MubarakDSC00940 im

After hours of delay, The election tribunal finally announced its verdict on Saturday evening, approving chairman PTI’s claims that systematic rigging had taken place in the NA-122 and PP-147 constituencies and announced a re-election. Tribunal’s judge, Kazim Malik termed the result of both – National Assembly constituency NA-122 Lahore and Punjab Assembly constituency PP-147 Lahore – as null and void and ordered the Election Commission to hold re-polling. Later on, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that he accepts the tribunal’s judgment, adding that the tribunal had put the blame on election machinery.“I respect the judgment and accept it but due to our reservations we will go to the Supreme Court,” he said. He also said that the judgment was not about victory or defeat as he had also won the election in 2002.Sardar Ayaz Sadiq further said that MQM leaders’ resignations will now be taken by the Deputy Speaker Assembly after the tribunal judgment. Earlier the judge of an Election Tribunal Mr.Kazim Ali Malik announced its verdict regarding alleged rigging in NA-122, where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Ayaz Sadiq stood victorious against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran khan in the last general elections. Ayaz Sadiq was elected speaker of the National Assembly following the May 11, 2013 general elections. Imran Khan had challenged the election result of NA-122 before the election tribunal, accusing the PML-N of carrying out rigging in the constituency. The tribunal had reserved the verdict on August 17. Meanwhile strict security arrangements were seen in the premises of the Punjab Election Commission Office in Lahore where the tribunal hold its proceedings. A large number of supporters of both the PML-N and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were gathered outside the Election Tribunal Office. The supporters were chanting slogans against each other and minor clashes also erupted between them. The PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had won the seat in May 2013 general elections from NA-122 by securing 93,362 votes while the PTI Chief Imran Khan remained runner up with 84,417 votes. However, Imran Khan challenged Sadiq’s victory in the election tribunal, alleging that rigging was carried out on a large scale in NA-122. But proceedings of the Imran Khan’s petition remained suspended for a year because of stay orders taken by Ayaz Sadiq.On May 8, 2014, the election tribunal ordered to verify votes of NA-122 from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on a request made by Imran Khan, seeking opening the ballot bags in the constituency to investigate allegations of rigging in May 2013 polls. The NADRA submitted its forensic report to the election tribunal on May 9 this year, according to which 93,582 votes in NA-122 could not be verified. Later on August 17, the tribunal judge Kazim Ali Malik reserved verdict after speaker’s counsel concluded his arguments against Imran Khan’s petition. The NA-122 is one of the four constituencies where the PTI had sought a recount and verification of voters’ thumb impressions.