- IHC directs ECP to issue victory notification of PML-N Senator Zafar Iqbal Jhagra
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue a victory notification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Zafar Iqbal Jhagra.
The ECP had withheld notifications declaring Jhagra and PML-N’s Raheela Magsi as winners on two seats from the federal capital after the PTI and other parties had challenged nomination of one of the candidates.
When a two-member IHC bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amir Farooq took up the case, Jhagra’s counsel Akram Sheikh told the court that the ECP has withheld the victory notification of his client without any convincing reason. He appealed to the bench to issue directives to the ECP for issuing the victory notification at the earliest so that his client could participate in polls to elect Senate chairman and deputy chairman.
After hearing Jhagra’s counsel’s arguments, the bench asked the ECP to issue the victory notification of the PML-N senator. Justice Minallah observed that the court has barred the ECP from issuing the victory notification of Magsi after her candidature had been challenged.
The judge said that the notification in Magsi’s case could only be issued after the court adjudicated the matter. The court disposed of Jhagra’s petition paving the way for the ECP for issuance of the notification.
