SC Maintains ET Verdict Regarding NA-110 Election Matter

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Nov, 2016 ) : The Supreme Court on Thursday maintained the Election Tribunal (ET) verdict regarding NA-110 Sialkot election matter and dismissed all petitions seeking disqualification of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the case filed by Pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Usman Dar challenging the victory of Khawaja Asif from the NA-110 Sialkot constituency.

It is to mention that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif won election from NA-110 Sialkot constituency on Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) ticket in 2013 general elections. His rival Pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Usman Dar challenged his success before the Election Tribunal.

The ET dismissed Dar's petition. Later, Dar filed petition in Supreme Court against ET verdict. During the course of proceedings, Khawaja Asif's counsel Farooq H. Naek appeared before the court and informed that the petitioner failed to provide any evidence to prove rigging in the constituency.

He claimed that some elements were continuously pressurizing the courts to affect the decision. Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that it's a duty of Election Commission to secure electoral record.

Later, talking to media after the court decision, Khawaja Asif's counsel Farooq H. Naek said that allegations of rigging could not be proved in election commission and Nadra's report and Khawaja Asif is still MNA on the seat. APP/amk/rn