PPP to file petition in Islamabad HC today challenging Senate chairman election results

The Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) would file a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, challenging the results of the Senate chairman election after seven votes were declared rejected, according to sources.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Sadiq Sanjr received 48 votes while his opponent and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gil could only manage 42, in which seven votes were rejected.

The votes were rejected by the presiding officer, Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah, as the ballot papers were stamped on the candidate's name instead of the box next to it.

The PPP has prepared the draft for the constitutional petition to be filed before the court, ARY News reported citing sources.

"The party leadership approved the contents of the petition after PPP President Asif Zardari and others were briefed regarding it," they said.

Sources quoted PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as saying: "The opponents should not consider PPP as weak as we will challenge those who stole our votes at every forum inside and outside the Parliament."

On March 13, PPP had decided to challenge the election of the Senate chairman in IHC after Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate Gil lost the polls owing to the seven rejected votes.

"I have consulted the PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) leadership, including Maryam Nawaz and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and have decided to challenge the election of Senate chairman," said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

"These seven votes were rejected illegally and, therefore, Gil won the poll. It is an open and shut case and, therefore, we are moving the court," he added.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz said Yousuf Raza Gil must be congratulated for his victory now or later. In a tweet, she said, "Congratulated Gil for defeating the government's candidate."

Gil had earlier defeated PTI candidate Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in a close vote for a hotly contested Senate general seat from Islamabad.

( With inputs from ANI )

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