Opposition leaders have said that the ruling by an election tribunal, which deseated National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq by annulling the election in Lahore’s NA-122 constituency on Saturday, proved that the election process in Pakistan is flawed and needs to be improved.
Sadiq’s election had been challenged by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, alleging that the NA speaker had won the election through rigging/
Commenting on the tribunal’s verdict, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the decision was “historic”, adding that it would go a long way in ensuring a transparent election system in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), which had partnered with the PTI in anti-government protests last year, demanded the Election Commission hold fresh elections in NA-122.
In a statement issued from PAT Secretariat, a party spokesman said that this decision negates the report of the Judicial Commission set up by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to probe the 2013 elections.
“The decision vindicates the stand of PAT that the 2013 elections were rigged and a person who did not have the mandate of the people worked as the Speaker of the National Assembly for 26 months.”
The spokesman questioned what is the status of all the laws framed during these 26 months? He said that now instead of hiding behind a stay order the PML-N government should pack up and go home and respect the decision of the Election Tribunal and order the holding of fresh elections in the country.
He said that this is the second constituency where a sitting MNA has been de-seated which is ample proof that the whole of the election process in 2013 was flawed and the elections were rigged. He said morally the ruling PML-N has no grounds to rule and it is time that fresh elections be called.
The acting chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Liaqat Baloch said that the ET’s decision regarding election in NA 122 proved major flaws in the election system of the country.
Commenting on the tribunal decision, he said that unless and until electoral reforms were carried out and the Election Commission was made truly autonomous, complaints of irregularities would continue both in general election and the local bodies polls.
Liaqat Baloch said this was a judicial decision which should be accepted in its true spirit in order to strengthen democracy and the electoral process.