During a press conference, PTI leader Barrister Salman Akram Raja expressed concern over the potential collapse of many bridges if election tribunals appointed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice handle electoral disputes in Punjab. He criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for attempting to change the Punjab election tribunals, alleging that the February 8 general elections witnessed significant rigging.
Raja pointed out that election tribunals in Punjab, appointed by the LHC chief justice, were not allowed to function, while those in other provinces operated according to the list provided by the respective chief justices. He claimed that the government fears the most in Punjab and emphasized that those who create rifts between institutions and people are enemies of Pakistan.
In addition to Raja’s remarks, PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi, who lost the Multan NA-151 seat, highlighted the importance of women’s representation in democracy, expressing regret over the limited female representation from the party in Parliament.
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Salman Akram Raja had filed a review petition with the Supreme Court of Pakistan to make the Election Tribunal in Punjab functional. A larger bench of the apex court, led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, would consider the appeal of the Election Commission of Pakistan against the LHC’s decision to appoint eight election tribunals in Punjab for addressing election disputes from the February 8 general elections.
On a related note, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the Election (Amendment) Bill 2024, granting the electoral watchdog the authority to appoint retired high court judges to election tribunals without consultation with the respective chief justices, under the amendment to the Elections Act, 2017.
