PTI’s Soomro wins from NA-196 Jacobabad after recount

SUKKUR: Federal Minister for Privatization and PTI candidate, MNA Muhammad Mian Soomro, won Jacobabad’s NA-196 constituency following recounting of votes, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sources said on Tuesday.

Muhammad Mian Soomro bagged 83,083 votes while PPP’s Aijaz Jakhrani bagged 79,187 votes in recounting from 441 polling stations. According to unofficial results of the recount, 3,117 votes of Soomro and 2,612 votes of Jakhrani were rejected. The ballot papers and polling record of 31 polling stations were missing and could not be recounted, according to the sources.

Sukkur’s election tribunal had ordered recounting of votes after rival candidate Aijaz Jakhrani of PPP challenged the victory of PTI’s Muhammad Mian Soomro in the 2018 general elections. Soomro had won the National Assembly seat by securing 92,274 votes in the NA-196 constituency in general elections. PPP’s Aijaz Jakhrani was runner-up with 86,876 votes.

Earlier, representatives of the PTI candidate in recounting had alleged that vote bags and envelopes were broken and other election material was missing. “The election tribunal’s order has been verbal and no written order has been issued yet,” they said.

On Jan 10, an election tribunal had dismissed a petition filed by Muhammad Mian Soomro seeking to stop the recount. The tribunal directed the PTI MNA to approach the Supreme Court against its verdict. The tribunal directed the ECP to implement its decision within a week and furnish a compliance report.