ECP issues victory notification of JI's Hafiz Naeem despite 'forfeiting' PS-129 seat

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday notified the victory of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chapter Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman from PS-129 constituency, who has already announced giving up the seat over alleged rigging in the February 8 polls.

As per the ECP’s notification, Naeem emerged as a victorious candidate with 26,296 votes in the PS-129 Karachi constituency.

The ECP sources said that the victory notification was issued after the JI leader submitted Form C to the election watchdog.

According to the election laws, all the contesting candidates are bound to submit the return of their election expenses on Form C within thirty days of the publication of the name of the returned candidates.

“The return of election expenses of the returned candidate and a contesting candidate shall be submitted to the Returning Officer on Form C.”

In February, Naeem announced he would be relinquishing his provincial assembly seat, PS-129, from Karachi claiming he did not win the seat rather it was the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed candidate who won the seat.

Addressing a press conference, Naeem had claimed that his PTI-backed opponent won the seat and he does not want a "charity" seat.

The JI leader had said he was returning the seat, but would continue the legal and political battle to reclaim all the seats that his party lost due to rigging.

"You cannot change the people’s mind through fake mandate," he had said.

The JI leader had also announced that he would not take oath as an MPA on the seat.