LHC dismisses pleas against victory of Maryam Nawaz, Khawaja Asif, Aleem Khan and others

The Lahore High Court on Monday dismissed several petitions, challenging the victory of different politicians, including PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, former defence minister Khawaja Asif, and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party’s Aleem Khan and Awn Chaudhry,

Petitions were filed against Aleem Khan (NA-117), Maryam Nawaz (NA-119), Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar (NA-126) and Ata Tarar (NA-127).

Similarly, pleas were filed against the winning candidates including Aun Chaudhry (128), Khawaja Asif (NA-71), Shahid Usman (NA-80), Malik Shakir Bashir Awan (NA-87), Irfan Shafi Khokhar (PP-167).

The pleas were filed mostly by the PTI-backed independent candidates who faced defeats in the Feb 8 general elections.

LHC Justice Ali Baqar Najafi reserved a verdict on the maintainability of the petitions following the daylong hearings, which were announced at 10 pm.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi ruled against the maintainability of the petitions before the high court before availing the first remedy of the law under the Election Act 2017.

The LHC directed all the petitioners to approach the ECP for redressal of grievances.

“If there is no ordinary remedy available, the extraordinary remedy of the constitutional jurisdiction could be invoked,” the judge said, relying on an SC judgment.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed Shahzad Farooq approached the LHC against the victory of PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz from NA-119 Lahore.

The court was requested to nullify Maryam’s victory from the constituency.

Meanwhile, PTI-backed candidate Rehana Dar challenged Khawaja Asif’s victory from NA-71 Sialkot and requested the LHC to declare her winner.

PTI leader Usman Dar’s mother Rehana Dar claimed that she had taken an unassailable lead but the results were changed overnight.

PTI-backed Salman Akram Raja has also moved the LHC against the victory of Aun Chaudhry, the joint candidate of PML-N and Istehkam-e-Paksitan Party (IPP) from NA-128 Lahore. Salman Akram Raja pleaded with the court to declare Aun Chaudhry’s victory null and void, claiming that he won the seat as per Forms 45.

PTI-backed Ali Aijaz challenged IPP’s Aleem Khan’s victory from NA-117 Lahore. The IPP candidate won the seat with 91489 votes followed by the petitioner and PTI-backed aspirant who got 80838 votes.

PTI-backed Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokar moved the LHC against Atta Tarar’s victory from NA-127 Lahore and requested it to declare him the winner. Atta Tarar won the seat with 98210 votes and the petitioner finished runner-up with 82230 votes.

The LHC directed all the petitioners to approach the ECP for redressal of grievances