QUETTA: Weeks after the Balochistan Election Tribunal declared the election of Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Mohammad Akbar Askani, Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) MPAs – null and void and ordered re-election in both the constituencies, the Supreme Court on Monday restored the Askani’s membership of the provincial assembly.
Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing until Jan 24.
The Balochistan Election Tribunal had on December 31 ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct re-election in provincial assembly’s constituencies PB-8 (Barkhan) and PB-48 (Kech) on allegations of rigging. From PB-8 (Barkhan), provincial minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran was elected.
The tribunal had also asked the ECP to de-notify the notifications of the election victory of the two MPAs.
Against the result of PB-48 (Kech), the election petition had been filed by Asghar Rind, who had contested the election as a candidate of the Balochistan National Party-Awami and lost against Mr Askani, the Adviser to the Chief Minister on Fisheries.
