LAHORE: Pakistan Railways minister and Member of National Assembly (MNA), Khawaja Saad Rafique, has rejected to accept verdict of the election tribunal for re-polling in NA-125 constituency.
The tribunal also nullified election of PP-155 where Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Mian Naseer was declared successful during 2013 general election.
Khawaja Saad Rafique conducted a press conference post official announcement of the verdict on NA-125. He rejected to accept decision and termed it as ‘the verdict over ineligibility of Returning Officers (ROs) and Presiding Officers (POs) during the electoral process in 2013 but punishment is being given to him and 1.25 lakh voters.’
Khawaja Saad Rafique, however, said that PML-N leadership is full authority whether to go the Supreme Court (SC) or re-polling process. Rafique claimed that the tribunal judge rejected Hamid Khan’s rigging evidences which failed to prove any wrongdoing but only ineligibility of the ROs and POs. He added that no disqualification petition was filed against him.
The former railway minister said, ‘I am a fighter and always believe in street politics. Actually, the judge gives punishment to my voters.’
Earlier, the election tribunal, while hearing petition against alleged rigging in NA-125 Lahore, on Monday declared the election null and void while the tribunal judge Justice Javeed Rasheed Mahbobi also ordered re-election on the seat.
The election tribunal has given its verdict on the complaint of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) runner-up candidate on the seat Hamid Khan.
The judge observed in its verdict that lot of irregularities found in the election process on the seat.
