News

ECP rejects PTI plea to nullify NA-122 by-poll, grants access to voter data

Feb 01 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Aleem Khan's plea challenging the results of the NA-122 by-poll, but allowed the party access to voter data in the constituency.

An 800-page petition filed by Aleem last November alleged irregularities and pre-poll rigging in the NA-122 by-poll, and requested the ECP to declare the election null and void on the basis of 'technical rigging'.

NA-125: SC orders vote verification in Saad Rafique's constituency

Jan 27 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) to verify the record of all voters in National Assembly’s NA-125 Lahore constituency wherein current Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq was declared victorious in May 2013 general elections.

The NA-125 Lahore is one of the four constituencies which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman demanded to be verified during his party’s historic 126-day sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk in 2014.

ECP faces internal strife over reshuffle

Jan 24 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: 

A large-scale, ‘arbitrary’ reshuffle in the country’s top polling supervisory body is likely to lead to more bickering in the organisation that is already mired in controversies.

Earlier this week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified reshuffle of 54 of its Grade-18 officers in the first phase of transfers. The notification was approved only by the chief election commissioner (CEC), apparently without any input from four other members of the body.

Intra-party elections: SC seeks ECP statement over access to data server

Jan 22 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: The top court has sought concise statement from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf (PTI) plea, seeking access to the data server of the commission to prepare credible voter lists for the upcoming intra-party elections (IPEs).

The three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, took up Thursday PTI chief election commissioner Tasneem Noorani’s petition against Islamabad High Court’s November 16, 2015 order, wherein the party’s petition was dismissed.

Change in voting procedure: Amendment passed amid opposition’s uproar

Jan 20 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
KARACHI: 

The Sindh Assembly, despite a vehement protest by the opposition and thin attendance on the treasury benches, passed a law to hold the election of mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen, vice-chairmen of local bodies and candidates on reserved seats through a ‘show of hands’.

Earlier, the process was to be held through secret ballot.

Moving an amendment in the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, senior education and parliamentary affairs minister, Nisar Khuhro, said the move would make the election process transparent.

SC orders vote verification in Khawaja Asif's NA-110

Jan 19 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered verification of votes in Sialkot's NA-110 constituency, where Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had emerged victorious in the 2013 general elections.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken up an application filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Usman Dar, challenging the election of Asif in NA-110.

NA-218 by-elections: Makhdooms record 13th victory from Hala

Jan 19 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
HYDERABAD: 

The Makhdooms of Hala crushed their opponents in the by-elections for their home constituency of NA-218 Matiari on Monday, recording the 13th consecutive victory from the area.

The national assembly seat had fallen vacant after the demise of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians’ chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim in November 2015.

Senate to accept citizens’ complaints against MPs

Jan 18 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: The Senate is set to implement a new code of conduct which envisages serious penalties for violators including suspension of house membership.

The upper house of parliament passed a draft code of conduct for senators with a majority vote on Thursday. Only three senators, two from JUI-F and one from the ruling PML-N, opposed the initiative. They argued that it would open floodgates of complaints which could in turn tarnish the image of politicians.

Parliamentary body affirms constitutional amendments, laws for electoral reforms

Jan 14 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The News

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on Wednesday gave a nod to constitutional amendments and amendments in electoral laws that needed in electoral reforms package for transparency and fairness in the general elections.

The members expressed its satisfaction over the pace of working of the committee to proposed electoral reforms for the transparency in the election process but still not in hurry to complete the task of bringing the electoral reform package in Parliament for the legislation.

Devolution awaited: Government yet to empower LB representatives

Jan 11 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
The newly-elected local bodies’ (LB) representatives have urged both the federal and provincial governments for empowering them as per the Constitution and the provincial laws for smooth service delivery to the masses at grass roots.

The LG elections were held last year, for the first time in the country under a democratic government. The basic purpose of the LG is devolving political, administrative and financial powers to the elected representatives at local level.

ECP summons PB-50 candidates in Islamabad

Jan 08 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

QUETTA: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned all the four candidates who contested the by-election on a Balochistan Assembly constituency (PB-50 Turbat-3) to Islamabad on Jan 11.

Provincial Election Com­mis­sioner in Balochistan Syed Sultan Bayazid said here on Thursday that the ECP had also summoned the district returning officer and returning officer.

Swat women assembly elects speaker, deputy

Jan 08 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

MINGORA: Tabassum Adnan was elected the first speaker and Ms Sajida deputy speaker of the first women assembly of Swat here on Thursday.

The election for speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly was held in pleasant environment in which members of women assembly used their right to vote.

The women assembly was formed under the Aurat Foundation’s voice and accountability programme, Awaz, with women’s representations from all 67 union councils of Swat district.

PML-N’s Baba sweeps PP-89 by-election

Jan 07 2016
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

TOBA TEK SINGH: According to unofficial results of 147 polling stations, PML-N’s Pir Ali Baba won by-poll for PP-89 by a margin of 20825 votes.

He secured 55894 votes while independent candidate Sonia Ali Raza got 35,609 votes. The turnout was 56 per cent.

Mr Baba (whose actual name is Qutab Ali Shah), is the son of former MPA Pir Ibrar Husain and nephew of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Runner-up Ms Raza is daughter of late MPA Makhdoom Ali Raza and niece of former Punjab minister Makhdoom Mukhtar Hussain.

Voting underway as Baloch, Tareen face off in NA-154 by-poll

Dec 23 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LODHRAN: Voting for the by-poll in National Assembly constituency NA-154, Lodhran, started at 8am Wednesday morning and will continue till 5pm.

Most prominent among the twenty candidates contesting the election are PML-N's Siddique Khan Baloch, who was elected in the 2013 general election from the same constituency but was disqualified by an election tribunal, and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Jahangir Tareen.

No representation for minorities in 34 UCs of Rawalpindi

Dec 14 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

RAWALPINDI: Though all the 46 union councils (UCs) in the city have special seats reserved for non-Muslims, almost 75 per cent of them would not have any representation from minority communities.

The reason: only 12 UCs meet the criterion for a minority representative in the local government.

Under the Local Government Act 2013, there would be a reserved seat for non-Muslims in each of the union councils having at least 50 non-Muslim votes.

South Punjab : PML-N rides the victory wave, Peoples Party surprises many

Dec 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
MULTAN/BAHAWALPUR: 

Most predictions and analyses had suggested that the seven south Punjab districts that went to the polls on Saturday would prove a point of departure from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-dominated north. The unofficial election results, however, suggest otherwise. 

Jhang district : Independents have field day

Dec 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

FAISALABAD: Independent candidates had a field day in Jhang as they polled the highest number of seats in the district council and three of the five municipal committees.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secured a simple majority in Jhang, Garh Maharaja and Ahmedpur Sial municipal committees.

Independents were elected on chairmen and vice-chairmen panels in 75 of the 91 seats in the district council. The remaining 16 seats were won by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Scuffle: 15 injured in post-election clashes in Jhang

Dec 07 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
FAISALABAD: 

As many as 12 people were injured in clashes following the election in wards 18 and 30 of Jhang municipal committee late Sunday night.

Heavy police contingents reached the sites and took in custody at least 13 people in a search operation in the two wards.

Witnesses in ward-18 (Mohallah Noorul Sadaat) said that clashes broke out between supporters of PML-N and PTI a few minutes after the announcement of PML-N candidate Zahid Parvaiz Lala’s victory in the election.

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