Jamaat-i-Islami Leader Forfeits Election Seat Amid Allegations of Rigging

Jamaat-i-Islami Leader Forfeits Election Seat Amid Allegations of Rigging

VoM News Desk | February 12, 2024 | 10:20 PM IST | Pakistan News, Politics, World | Follow on Google News

Jamaat-i-Islami Leader Forfeits Election Seat Amid Allegations of Rigging/Reuters

Jamaat-i-Islami Leader Forfeits Election Seat Amid Allegations of Rigging

In a surprising move, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, a senior leader of Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami Party, voluntarily surrendered the seat he won in the Sindh province during Thursday’s election. Rehman asserted that it was not him but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party-backed candidate who had secured victory in the PS-129 constituency (Karachi Central VIII). He took this step to draw attention to the alleged rigging in numerous constituencies during the February 8 polls.

Claims of Rigging and Unusual Decision

Rehman highlighted discrepancies in the Election Commission of Pakistan’s provisional results, stating that his votes were unfairly reduced. He claimed that, according to his team’s calculations, the PTI-backed independent candidate Saif Bari won, and his own votes were diminished from 31,000 to 11,000. The decision to forfeit the seat follows two days of protests and accusations of rigging by various parties in different parts of Sindh province.

Protests and Disruptions Continue

Protests led by PTI, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TL), and Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) intensified, blocking highways and causing disruptions. Heavy police and ranger presence aimed to clear roads, leading to confrontations with protesters. Tear gas, water cannons, and batons were employed to disperse crowds. The unrest stemmed from discontent with the provisional election results, with legal petitions flooding the courts and candidates challenging outcomes to secure their seats.

High Number of Legal Petitions and Challenges

Amid the tumult, the PTI-backed independents filed the highest number of legal petitions against the results, challenging the integrity of the electoral process. The situation reflects growing discontent and a lack of acceptance of the provisional results by various political factions, raising concerns about the stability of the post-election scenario in the region.

VoM News Desk

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