Pakistan electoral body delays notifying results of majority of PTI-backed independents, voters express concern

According to the report, more than 101 independent candidates have won the NA seats, most of them backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to unofficial results.

The delay on the part of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to officially notify the results of a majority of the independent candidates has raised concerns among their voters and stakeholders amid political wrangling over the numbers game for the formation of government in the Centre.

Dawn reported that until Saturday evening, the ECP had notified the result of only eight of them and declared the victory of 33 more through a late-night notification.

While under the election rules, independent candidates have three days to join a political party after official notification of their victory, the ECP has so far notified results of 154 out of a total of 265 NA constituencies, where elections took place on Feb 8. They include 41 independents.

Rule 92(6) reads "For the purpose of this rule, the expression "total number of general seats won by political party" shall include the independent returned candidate or candidates who may duly join such political party within three days of the publication in the official gazette of the names of the returned candidates".

A provision to the rule reads, "Provided that if the independent candidate applies to the leader of a political party for joining his party then the leader of that political party will forthwith inform the Commission of joining of such candidate through a letter to be delivered to the Commission along with consent of that candidate duly attested by a notary appointed under the Notaries Ordinance, 1961 (XIX of 1961) or an Oath Commissioner appointed under the Oaths Act, 1873 (X of 1873) or a government servant in basic pay scale 17 and above: Provided that the consent of the independent candidate so delivered to the Commission shall, in no circumstances, be open to recall or cancellation."

Dawn reported that the Raja Khurram Nawaz from NA-48 (Islamabad) was the first independent to have been notified as returned candidate. His notification had been issued on Feb 12 -- two days after he announced joining Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The same day, the commission notified the results of the rest of the two NA constituencies from Islamabad declaring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Anjum Aqeel Khan victorious, besides declaring Sadiq Iftikhar of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan a winner from NA-238 (Karachi).

Former Punjab Governor Mian Mohammad Azhar from NA-129 (Lahore) and Ghulam Mohammad from NA-93 (Chiniot) -- both PTI-backed independent candidates -- had been declared successful on Feb 13.

On the same day, the ECP also notified victory of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz and nephew Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, besides PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar and IPP's Awn Saqlain -- all from Lahore.

On Feb 14, the ECP notified victories of over two dozen contestants, including former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf from NA-52 (Rawalpindi) and former NA speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq from NA-120 (Lahore) and Noor Alam Khan, a frequent party changer from NA-28 (Peshawar). This time Noor Alam Khan was Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) candidate. None of those notified was an independent.

A day later, the ECP notified victories of PTI-backed independent candidate Adil Khan Bazai from NA-262 (Quetta), JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman from NA-265 (Pishin) and IPP leader Abdul Aleem Khan from NA-117 (Lahore), Dawn reported.

On Feb 16, the victory notifications issued by the ECP included the one for an independent candidate from NA-54 (Rawalpindi) Aqeel Malik.

Three PTI-backed independents --Mohammad Ilyas Chaudhary from NA-62 (Gujrat), Osama Malik from NA-83 (Sargodha) and Nisar Ahmad from NA-100 (Faisalabad) -- were notified on Saturday. (ANI)