Pakistan poll body to form tribunals in Balochistan and Sindh to address polls' related pleas
Feb 17, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], February 17 : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday formed election tribunals in Balochistan and Sindh for hearing polls' results related pleas, as reported by ARY News.
Following the Pakistan general elections, widespread protests have been held in Balochistan, Sindh and other parts of the country against alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections.
Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry of the Sindh High Court (SHC) would hear petitions for the Karachi Division.
Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro will be heading an election tribunal for the Sukkur and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions while Justice Amjad Ali Sahito will hold hearings in the Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions, according to ARY News.
Meanwhile, Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar has been appointed to the election tribunal for the Larkana division of Sindh province.
Similarly, Justice Abdullah Baloch, Justice Rozi Khan Barrech, and Justice Muhammad Aamir Nawaz Rana of the Balochistan High Court would hear elections-related pleas in the province.
The Pakistan electoral body made these appointments on the recommendations of Chief Justices of the Balochistan and Sindh High Courts, as reported by ARY News.
Reportedly, the tribunals would address the petitions about 'irregularities' and 'rigging accusations' in the elections and subsequent bye-elections.
Following the February 8 general elections, political parties, including the National Party, PPP, JUI, BAP, BNP-Mengal, PkMAP, and PkNAP, staged protest demonstrations engulfing major thoroughfares and district returning offices, demanding recounts and challenging the declared outcomes in Balochistan.
Meanwhile, four political parties, including the BNP-M, PkMAP, and the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), announced joint protest demonstrations against the alleged election rigging in the province.
Furthermore, these political parties also established a joint protest camp to mount pressure on the Election Commission of Pakistan to reconsider its results about their constituencies, according to The Express Tribune.
Additionally, various political parties including the Awami National Party, JUI and some candidates blocked the main highways linking Balochistan with Karachi, Sindh, Punjab and other parts of the country.
