LAHORE, Pakistan: Just five days before by-elections are to take place in the Country, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and a Candidate in NA-131 Lahore-IX Khawaja Saad Rafiqui has requested the Lahore High Court (LHC) to bar Overseas Pakistanis from casting their votes in upcoming by-polls.
A total of 7410 Overseas Pakistanis are expected to exercise their right of franchise in October 14 by-elections after the Supreme Court in its historic ruling on August 17, 2018 allowed them to cast their votes for the first time.
However today, Khawaja Saad Rafiqui approached the LHC, challenging the verdict of giving the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis.
The IHC judge Justice Mamnoon Ur Rasheed heard the petition filed by Saad Rafique.
SC had earlier allowed Overseas Pakistanis to cast votes
In his petition, Saad Rafique argued that the registration of overseas Pakistanis was done earlier while the law was passed later. He said that the verdict of giving right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis must be declared null and void.
Meanwhile, the LHC summoned the procedure of Rules and Registration from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The by-elections will be held in 11 National Assembly and some 26 Provincial Assemblies Constituencies.
Saad Rafique will be vying against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Humayun Akhtar Khan as his main rival from NA-131 Lahore-IX. Earlier, Saad Rafique lost to the Chairman PTI Imran Khan from the same Constituency in July 25 general elections.
