The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is likely to extend the tenure of the five election tribunals in its session today, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Earlier, after three successive decisions by the tribunal judges in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates, the commission had reportedly decided not to extend the tenures of the retired judges who are chairing the election tribunals. There are five election tribunals still working in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
The tribunal judges are yet to decide appeals in 18 constituencies including NA-118, Lahore. There are eight cases pending in Lahore, five in Faisalabad, one each in Multan and Peshawar while three cases are pending in Hyderabad, Sindh.
A source in the ECP told Pakistan Today that chief election commissioner was left with no other option but to extend the contracts of the tribunal judges who had become controversial after three successive decisions against PML-N lawmakers.
“The ECP had sent a request to the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice, requesting to nominate sitting judges of the high court to chair the tribunals after the contract of retired judges ends in August. However, the LHC has refused to adhere to the request of the ECP, asking to continue the retired judges do their job,” the source at the ECP said.
The source added that the ECP has left with no option but to extend the tenure of the tribunal judges despite the fact that many important decisions are yet to be made.
The tribunal judges include Justice (r) Rana Zahid Mehmood and Justice (r) Kazim Ali Malik who gave decisions against PML-N lawmakers Siddiq Khan Baloch from NA-154 Lodhran and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq from NA-122 Lahore. Malik Riaz, the PML-N MNA from NA-118 Lahore has already filed an application, requesting that Justice (r) Kazim Malik may not hear his case due to bias against his party’s candidates.