SC orders verification of votes, thumb impressions in NA-125

Khawaja Saad Rafique says he has no
objection to apex court orders

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to verify the record of all voters of NA-125, Lahore, from where Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique was declared the returned candidate in the May 2013 general election.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, heard the petition filed by Hamid Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, seeking verification of all the voters in the constituency.

The court directed Nadra to verify all the voters and thumb impressions on all counter files and submit a comprehensive report within three months and adjourned the hearing for date-in-office (indefinite period).

Talking to the media outside the court, Saad Rafique said he wanted the issue of rigging to be settled once and for all adding that he had no objection to the verification of voters.

He, however, expressed concern over the substandard electoral material provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during the elections. It is pertinent to mention here that the election tribunal on May 4, 2015 ordered re-polling in NA-125, Lahore Cantt, after finding irregularities.

Faisalabad Election Tribunal judge Javaid Rashid Mehboob had declared the results of NA-125 null and void and ordered re-election. Saad Rafique had bagged 123,416 votes beating Hamid Khan of the PTI.

Hamid Khan challenged Saad’s victory claiming that the election had been rigged. Pursuant to the May 4 judgment passed by the election tribunal in petition titled ‘Hamid Khan Vs Saad Rafique and Others’, the ECP had de-notified the NA membership of Khawaja Saad Rafique.

Khawaja Saad Rafique, however, challenged the verdict of the election tribunal in the Supreme Court. The apex court on May 11, 2015 restored the National Assembly membership of Khawaja Saad Rafique after suspending the order of the election tribunal ordering re-polling in the constituency.