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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday rejected a petition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) against the victory of Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Senate elections.
Chief Justice IHC Justice Athar Minhallah heard the plea submitted by PTI Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ali Nawaz Awan against the victory of the joint candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
At the outset of the hearing, the CJ IHC asked the petitioner that why the court was being dragged into political matters. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should decide the issue and then the court can be approached.
The judge remarked that political matters should be settled in parliament. It is to be noted that Ali Nawaz Awan had challenged the victory of Yousuf Raza Gilani in Senate elections in the IHC.
The petitioner prayed the court to declare the victory of Gilani in the Senate election as void and stop the ECP from issuing the notification. It said that Gilani is a convicted person and hence was ineligible for the polls.
It also called on the court to disqualify his son Ali Haider as a member of the provincial assembly over alleged horse-trading in the Senate polls. It added that the ECP was a constitutional institution and it was its responsibility to ensure fairness in elections.
The petitioner sought the high court for the annulment of the Senate polls held on March 3. It added that the ECP was a constitutional institution and it was its responsibility to ensure fairness in elections.
The petition stated that Ali Gilani had admitted that he met the PTI lawmakers, while PML-N leadwer Maryam Nawaz had also admitted that her party tickets offer had attracted the members to vote for Gilani.
The petitioner requested the court to ask the ECP that why the nomination papers of Gilani were accepted. The petition prayed the court to direct the ECP for taking legal action against Gilani and his son Ali Haider under the Election Act.
