ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stopped the final result of NA-71 constituency, where PML-N leader Khawaja Asif was declared the winner in the Feb 8 elections. The ECP requested a report from the returning officer (RO) concerned following allegations of irregularities and discrepancies in the electoral process.
In Islamabad, the commission postponed the hearing on this matter until February 14, in response to an application filed by Rehana Dar, a candidate supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the NA-71 Sialkot constituency.
The commission issued a notice to the RO regarding Rehana Dar’s request and has sought a response. According to Rehana Dar’s advocate, discrepancies were noted between the results recorded in Form 45 and Form 47, as Form 45 allegedly indicated a victory for Dar with a lead of 50,000 votes, while Form 47 prepared by the RO purportedly showed a defeat by 47,000 votes.
Furthermore, the counsel stated that a revised Form 47 was uploaded to the election commission’s website on Monday afternoon, raising questions about the consistency of the electoral data. During the hearing, when asked about the impact of the new Form 47 on their request, Rehana Dar’s lawyer confirmed that their request remained unchanged despite the update.
The decision to halt the results and postpone the hearing underscores the Election Commission’s commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in the electoral process. As stakeholders await further developments, the Commission’s actions highlight the importance of addressing allegations of irregularities to uphold the integrity of the electoral system.
