Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs and Member National Assembly Ali Nawaz Awan on Tuesday moved a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the victory of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s leader and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the Senate elections.
The petitioner prayed the court to stop Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing notification for the victory of Gilani and also disqualify his son Ali Haider Gillani from the membership of provincial assembly for alleged horse-trading in the recently held Senate elections.
Advocate Aamer Aziz Ansari filed the petition on behalf of Ali Nawaz Awan.
The petition said Ali Haider Gilani was found involved in horse-trading to rig Senate polls and a video also surfaced in media two days ahead of the elections. It further said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is a constitutional institution and it is its responsibility to ensure fairness in elections.
The petition said Ali Gilani had admitted about meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawmaker at a press conference on March 2. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz had also admitted that ‘her party tickets offers’ had attracted the members to vote for Yousaf Raza Gilani. The petitioner requested the court to ask the ECP that why the nomination papers of Gilani were accepted. It also prayed the court to declare the victory of Gilani as void and stop ECP from issuing notification in this regard.
The petition prayed the court to direct the ECP for taking legal action against Yousaf Raza Gilani and his son Ali Haider Gilani under the Elections Act. It also prayed the court to disqualify Ali Gilani from the membership of Punjab Assembly. On March 3, Yousaf Raza Gilani had won Senate seat from Islamabad where he was vying against PTI’s Hafeez Shaikh.
