The aftermath of Pakistan’s General Elections 2024 has seen a flurry of legal challenges as over a dozen petitions were filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed candidates in high courts across the country, contesting the results announced by the returning officers (ROs).
Most of these petitions were filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC), while a few were submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Sindh High Court (SHC). The petitioners, including PTI-backed candidates, are challenging the victories of prominent figures like Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and Aleem Khan in various constituencies.
The main contention in these petitions is the alleged exclusion of candidates or their representatives from witnessing the consolidation process of the election results, a violation of their right to observe the electoral process.
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In Islamabad, PTI-backed candidates Shoaib Shaheen and Ali Bukhari filed petitions in the IHC, contesting the results of the NA-47 and NA-48 constituencies respectively. Shaheen and Bukhari expressed dissatisfaction with the election outcomes, claiming discrepancies in the initial and final results.
Similarly, in Sindh, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh and Arsalan Khalid filed petitions in the SHC challenging the results of NA-238 and NA-248 respectively. They alleged that the results declared by the ROs did not accurately reflect the votes they received, citing irregularities in Form 47.
The legal challenges indicate the contentious nature of the election results and the determination of candidates to seek redressal through judicial avenues. Additionally, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered re-polling in certain constituencies where polling material was snatched or destroyed, further highlighting the issues faced during the electoral process.
Moreover, the ECP has summoned a leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on a complaint of assaulting a police officer on election duty, underscoring the broader challenges and controversies surrounding the electoral process.
