NA-122: Aleem Khan seeks recounting of votes, RO rejects
PTI candidate in NA-122 requested recounting of votes, application filed before Returning Officer
LAHORE: (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate in NA-122 has on Tuesday filed the application for recounting of votes before the Returning Officer (RO). However, RO has refused to entertain the request saying that he does not have the authority to grant it, reported Dunya News.
In his application before the RO, Aleem Khan has requested recounting of votes in the constituency. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had won the by-election in the constituency securing 74,525 votes against Aleem Khan’s 72,082.
Read more: Sardar Ayaz Sadiq wins NA-122 yet again, Aleem Khan defeated
Earlier, PTI Punjab Organizer Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar had officially requested Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to provide him with the verified voters’ lists. The letter requested the details of the votes transferred from NA-122 after 2013 General Elections and those that were completely removed. The letter by PTI stated that the party has received transfer and removal of votes in large numbers from the constituency.
Earlier today, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) candidate Ishtiaq Chaudhry had also challenged the result of the by-election before the tribunal. Chaudhry claimed in his petition that massive irregularities were found in the election process as voters’ lists disappeared on the polling day.
The plaintiff also alleged ECP of laxity and said that the institution “failed to fulfill its responsibilities”.
Read more: NA-122 by-poll result challenged in election tribunal
PTI leaders including Chaudhry Sarwar, Abdul Aleem Khan and NA-126 MNA Shafqat Mehmood had also held a press conference yesterday in Lahore and claimed that they had received many complaints of vote transfers without the knowledge of the voters. They said that they will investigate the matter and if evidence of mass vote transfers is found then massive protest will be launched.
Chaudhry Sarwar said that PTI had accepted the results “but with reservations” and claimed to have come across many voters who said their votes had been transferred to other places and even other cities. He said that Aleem Khan had contested not only against the opponent but also the federal and provincial governments and their entire machinery.
Saad Rafique s response to PTI leaders press conference
However, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique confronted the statements by PTI leaders saying that it was not even possible to transfer the votes of a person from one constituency to another. Rejecting the allegations by Chairman PTI Imran Khan and other leaders of the party, PML-N leaders said that it wasn’t possible to tamper the voters’ lists at the last moment. Saad Rafique said that Imran Khan should now come out of the ‘rigging phobia’ and start focusing on governance.
Also read: Will fully protest if evidence of votes transfer found
