KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed candidate challanged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto’s victory in the National Assembly’s by-election.
According to a report on Monday, the PTI-supported candidate, Ghulam Mustafa Rind, filed a petition in the SHC against Aseefa Bhutto’s victory from NA-207 Nawabshah, caiming that his nomination papers were rejected after he was abducted. The petitioner requested the court to declare Aseefa’s victory null and void and conduct re-election by April 22.
Assefa was elected an MNA unopposed from NA-207 as the authorities claimed that rival candidate Ghulam Mustafa Rind did not approach against rejection of his nomination papers. However, Rind claimed in a presser that he was set free by the abductors after two days. Rind alleged that the returning officer displayed complete partiality and unjustly rejected the forms based on baseless objections.
Aseefa had filed her nomination papers for Nawabshah's NA-207 seat, which was vacated by her father Asif Ali Zardari after he was elected president of the country. The Returning Officer had declared her victory in a notification after all opposing candidates withdrew their nomination papers.
PPP leaders were of the view that PTI was digging its own political grave by attempting to create unwarranted controversy around the uncontested victory of Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.