LAHORE - Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf’s leader Dr Yasmin Rashid’s counsel on Thursday expressed distrust on an election tribunal of the Lahore High Court hearing her petition against alleged unverified votes of NA-120 and victory of Begum Kasloom Nawaz from there.

Election Tribunal comprising Justice Aminuddiin Khan of the Lahore High was hearing the petition.  Advocate Anees Hasmi, the counsel of Dr. Yasmin Rashid, appeared before the tribunal and said that the tribunal was going beyond its jurisdiction. He pointed out that Election Commission of Pakistan and Returning Officer were made as respondents among the other respondents in the petition but both the respondents were got deleted. The counsel said that later the ECP’s counsel was asked for the arguments in the case despite. He raised question that how the ECP’s counsel could be asked for assistance when it itself was made party in the case.

The petitioner’s counsel Advocate Anees Hashmi said that the election tribunal had been exercising powers beyond its jurisdiction under the Election Act 2017.  On it, the tribunal judge said that the ECP’s counsel was asked for assistance.   The petitioner’s counsel said that the tribunal should have asked the advocate general, if needed, for assistance in the case rather than inviting the ECP’s counsel.

He submitted that the ECP was in the list of respondents then how it could be asked for assistance.  He refused to plead before the tribunal saying that he would move an application to the chief election commissioner for the constitution of a fresh tribunal to decide the matter. The tribunal put off further hearing until May 16.

Dr Rashid had claimed that there had been over 29,000 unverified votes in NA-120. She said these votes were cast to support her rival candidate Kalsoom Nawaz, wife of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was declared disqualified by the Supreme Court in Panama papers’ case. The petitioner said the unverified votes were not available with National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), which she said cast doubt on transparency of the by-election.