ECP notifies Imran’s victory from NA-131, Lahore

ISLAMABAD: The ECP on Thursday notified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as the returned candidate from NA-131, Lahore against PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique.

The commission had earlier withheld notifications of Imran's victory from NA-131 Lahore and NA-53 Islamabad. The ECP had issued Imran's victory notifications in three other constituencies i.e. NA-35 Bannu, NA-243 Karachi and NA-95 Mianwali but conditionally. The notification was subject to the outcome of the alleged violation of code of conduct by him. After clearance by the Election Commission, notifications for these three constituencies were issued.

However, the decision with regard to Imran’s alleged breach of secrecy of ballot while casting vote in NA-53, Islamabad is expected on Friday (today). If he gets a clear chit from this constituency, the Election Commission will notify his victory, defeating ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

In all, Imran had contested from five constituencies defeating all his rivals. The Election Commission issued notifications for two more National Assembly and two provincial assembly seats, including NA-108 (Faisalabad-VIII), NA-90 (Sargodha), PK-4 (Swat) and PB-36 (Shaheed Sikanderabad).

From NA-108, PTI's Farrukh Habib was declared returned candidate, while PML-N’s Abid Sher Ali was runner up on Faisalabad-VIII after a recount. From NA-90, PML-N's Hamid Hameed defeated his rival PTI's Nadia Aziz after a recount.

From PB-36, Mir Niamatullah Zehri, an independent candidate, who later announced he was joining the PTI, was declared winner, whereas from PK-4 PTI's Azizullah Khan beat PML-N's Amir Muqam after a recount. The notifications of four NA constituencies — NA-53, NA-91, NA-112 and NA-215 — are yet to be issued due to pending cases; two were unofficially won by the PML-N and one each by the PPPP and GDA.

Likewise, however, the Election Commission continued to hold back notifications for as many as 15 constituencies of the four provinces due to various reasons. These include five constituencies of Sindh Assembly (PS-29, PS-36, PS-48, PS-54 and PS-82), whereas the result in PS-73, Badin, from where Taj Muhammad of PPPP had returned as per unofficial result was awaited. Of these five constituencies, two were unofficially won by the PPP and three by the GDA.

Similarly, the notifications of four Punjab Assembly constituencies are also being withheld on the orders of the Lahore High Court. Notifications of two constituencies each of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are also being held. These include PK-23 and PK-38, unofficially won by PTI and PB-26 and PB-41, one unofficially won by Ahmad Ali of Hazara Democratic Party and the other by Muhammad Qalandar Lodhi of MMA respectively.