Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar Saturday challenged the results of July 25 general elections in NA-245 Karachi, a private TV channel reported.
“I am challenging NA-245 results in the election tribunal,” he said while speaking to media outside the Sindh High Court in Karachi after filing his petition. “I will provide evidence and witnesses,” he said, and hoped that his petition will be heard and a decision will be made in his favour. In his petition, Sattar stated that Form 45 was not given to any polling agent and that 22,000 ballot papers from the constituency were missing. He requested that the victory notification issued for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Amir Liaquat Hussain be suspended. Hussain had emerged victorious from NA-245 constituency by bagging 56,615 votes against 35,247 of Sattar.
“Several MQM-P leaders were defeated through rigging during the July 25 polls. During counting, results were changed and victories were turned into defeats,” Sattar said. Last week, Sattar resigned from the MQM-P’s top decision-making body – Rabita Committee. Earlier, he had also said he was consulting with his close friends over an offer he had received from the PTI to join the party and contest the by-election from NA-247 on Dr Arif Alvi’s seat.
Published in Daily Times, September 23rd 2018.
