Usman Dar challenges Khawaja Asif’s victory

SIALKOT: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Muhammad Usman Dar on Saturday challenged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif’s victory from NA-73, Sialkot 2, in July 25 polls.

The PTI leader submitted a petition in the election tribunal challenging Asif’s victory. In the petition, Dar stated that Asif submitted an unverified affidavit along with his nomination papers and hid the details of his assets. Dar further urged that the staff of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to implement the Elections Act.

He stated that polling bags from 53 polling stations were submitted on the day after the General Election 2018 and re-counting should have been ordered owing to a difference of 1,406 votes.

In the July 25 polls, Asif had secured 116,957 votes while Dar had received 115,464 votes from the NA-73 constituency. However, Dar had requested a re-count in the constituency following the result but Asif had retained his seat.

The vote recount was completed in NA-73 with Asif receiving 45 more votes than before.

The vote count of PTI's Muhammad Dar, who had requested the re-count in the constituency, increased by 132 but remained behind the PML-N leader.