No irregularity found in NA-122 poll, tribunal told

LAHORE: Barrister Asjad Saeed, counsel for National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, on Tuesday told an election tribunal that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and a local commission had confirmed that the election process in NA-122, Lahore, was transparent.
The tribunal comprising Justice (retd) Kazim Ali Malik was hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, challenging the election of Ayaz Sadiq from NA-122.In his final arguments, Asjad submitted that despite their opposition, the tribunal constituted the local commission comprising retired sessions judge Ghulam Hussain Awan for the inspection of the NA-122 election record on an application by Imran Khan. “The commission physically checked all the election record in the presence of both parties and declared Ayaz Sadiq successful with a margin of 8,851 votes in its report,” he said.
Similarly, the tribunal ordered the NADRA to carry out thumb verification of votes polled in the constituency and the authority had submitted its report, he said, adding that the NADRA chairman admitted before the tribunal that 99.93 per cent votes polled in the constituency were valid, whereas 97 per cent votes polled in the 2013 general elections were also valid. He said the NADRA and the local commission carried out their responsibilities in an independent manner and both confirmed that the elections were transparent in the constituency. Until now, no evidence emerged that proved rigging, he added.The tribunal adjourned the hearing till July 1 and ordered the speaker’s counsel to continue his arguments on the next date of hearing.