Petitions have inundated Pakistan's courts, as losing candidates contest the provisional election outcomes in their respective constituencies shortly after the polarizing general elections.
The aftermath of the February 8 elections revealed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as the leading party. However, a substantial number of independent candidates, predominantly supported by the incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, secured victories.
Amid allegations of result manipulation to thwart PTI's anticipated majority, a surge of PTI-backed independent candidates has resorted to legal recourse, swarming the courts. Notable figures among them include former Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi, his wife Qaisera, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimoor Jhagra, ex-KP Speaker Mahmood Jan, lawyer Shuaib Shaheen, former Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid, and Rehana Dar, mother of Usman Dar, the former head of youth affairs in the PTI government.
Challenges against election results span various constituencies, with petitioners arguing discrepancies between Form 45, reflecting results from individual polling stations, and Form 47, which consolidates constituency-wide results. Allegations range from collusion to tampering with election outcomes, urging courts to align Form 47 results with those of Form 45.
In Lahore, petitions assail the victories of PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Attaullah Tarar, and former Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. Similar disputes unfold in other constituencies like PP 146 Sialkot and NA-119, with candidates contesting discrepancies between forms and alleging rigging.
Karachi witnesses PTI candidates, including provincial chief Haleem Adil Sheikh, challenging results in various constituencies. Allegations of electoral malpractice extend to Islamabad, where candidates like Mohammad Shuaib Shaheen and PTI's Mohammad Ali Bukhari contest their defeats against PML-N candidates.
The legal saga extends to the Peshawar High Court, where nine PTI-backed independents challenge provisional results, involving former lawmakers and prominent figures. Despite their persistence, legal battles typically prolong over weeks and months, with minimal impact on government formation processes, often serving as face-saving maneuvers for aggrieved candidates.
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