KARACHI: Arshad Hassan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) was elected as deputy mayor of Karachi on Thursday.
According to the results, Arshad Hassan got 194 votes, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) candidate Karamullah Waqsi got 78 votes whereas, nine votes were rejected.
Earlier in the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had denied former deputy mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra’s plea seeking a stay order against the election for the office.
Justice Aamir Farooq of the high court rejected the petition of Vohra seeking suspension of the election results.
The court issued notices to the parties in the case and summoned their answers on the matter.
The ECP had de-seated Vohra over a petition of his former party MQM-P after he switched loyalties to Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).
The former deputy mayor Karachi challenged the March 13 decision of the ECP.
Over 300 members of Karachi’s City Council exercising their right to vote to elect the new deputy mayor of the city.
Vohra had become the deputy mayor on the ticket of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan. He had been elected chairman from the Union Council 49 in local council elections from Karachi’s central district. Later, he joined Pak Sarzameen Party.
His former party MQM-P sought the election commission to de-seat Vohra for switching loyalty to the Mustafa Kamal-led party.
A five-member bench of the ECP headed by its chief, Justice (r) Sardar Raza heard the petition and announced to unseat the deputy mayor.