Islamabad

New poll tribunals in Pakistan have been barred by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) from hearing election petitions by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) until further orders. The ruling followed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) approval of petitions from three PML-N lawmakers to transfer their cases to other election tribunals due to challenges to their election victories with allegations of vote rigging. Islamabad HC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the orders during a hearing on petitions against amendments to the Election Act.

Lawyers representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidates and the ECP were present during the hearing. Justice Farooq expressed displeasure over the ECP’s decision to change the election tribunals and questioned the grounds for doing so. The ECP counsel explained that the previous tribunals had not followed procedures. Justice Farooq noted that the ECP’s decision seemed to establish a new precedent and emphasized the need for proof of discrimination to deem the decision legal. He mentioned Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, a jurist of the court, who was deputed to the tribunal by the ECP upon his request.