ECP transfers case of Islamabad MNAs to new tribunals

ISLAMABAD: In response to allegations of rigging in the general election held in February, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) formed two additional election tribunals.

The move comes following a Presidential Ordinance that mandates the inclusion of retired judges in such tribunals.

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Retired Justice Zafar Iqbal was appointed to preside over the Bahawalpur Additional Election Tribunal, while retired Justice Shakur Pracha will lead the Rawalpindi Additional Election Tribunal.

The spotlight falls on the case of three Member of the National Assembly (MNAs) based in Islamabad, whose victory was contested by opposition candidates. Allegations of rigging were raised against the winning candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) intervened by suspending the notification of the PML-N leaders’ success, subsequently transferring the matter to the Election Tribunal.

Amid scepticism about the fairness of the tribunal, PML-N leaders petitioned for the case to be referred to different tribunals.

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The ECP responded by approving the application to transfer the complaints against the victory of the three National Assembly members to another tribunal.