Pakistan Election 2024 Highlights: Pakistan Court Suspends Election Results In Islamabad's 3 Constituencies

The result of three constituencies in the federal capital was suspended by a Pakistan high court on Monday after the success of the three candidates was challenged.

The challenge was initiated by three losing candidates, namely Amir Mughal, Shoaib Shaheen, and Mohammad Ali Bukhari, who were backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

Photo Credit: PTI

Pakistan Court Suspends Election Results In Islamabad's 3 Constituencies

They filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, alleging manipulation of the results. After hearing the case, the IHC suspended poll result notifications issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from NA-46, NA-47, and NA-48. This action effectively put on hold the success of Anjum Aqeel Khan, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, and Raja Khurram Nawaz who had won respectively on the three seats.

Previously, they had contested the election results before the ECP on February 10, leading to the commission issuing a status quo order. However, despite this, on February 11, the ECP issued a notification declaring Khan, Chaudhry, and Nawaz as returned candidates.

Khan and Chaudhry secured victory on the tickets of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while Nawaz emerged victorious as an independent candidate who was not backed by PTI and later joined the PML-N after his victory. The general elections took place on February 8, and the delayed announcement of results raised concerns that the delay was intentional to alter the outcome.

Notably, not only the PTI but also several other parties contested the results and accused the election authorities of rigging the outcome. However, PTI leaders spearheaded protests against the alleged fraud in the polls.

PTI founder Imran Khan alleged in a post on X that fake ballot papers were being printed in Lahore at a printing press owned by his rival PML-N leader named Ehsan. He expressed concerns over the continued series of rigging even ten days after the elections.

Additionally, PTI leaders staged a protest in front of the Senate chairman's chair during the first session of the Upper House of the parliament after the elections, chanting slogans of "unacceptable, rigged elections unacceptable".PTI leader Ali Zafar remarked on the occasion that the people's mandate had been stolen and demanded that elections be discussed during the session.

(With PTI Inputs)