ISLAMABAD: Almost three weeks after the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set up 14 election tribunals to adjudicate poll disputes across the country.

Election tribunals had been constituted earlier but were dissolved even before their jurisdiction could be defined. The obvious reason for the dissolution was a deviation from the procedure because chief justices of respective high courts had not been consulted on the matter.The first objection to the move was raised by the Sindh High Court (SHC) which disbanded tribunals in the province after declaring them unconstitutional. The court reminded the ECP that consultation with the chief justice was essentially required.

Three election tribunals comprising retired district and sessions judges have been constituted in Sindh. These tribunals will sit in Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad.

Dr Zafar Ahmad Khan Sherwani will hear election petitions from Karachi; Mohammad Ashfaq Baloch from Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Dadu, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Umer Kot; and Zaheerruddin S. Leghari from Sukkur, Ghotki, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobbabad, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Qambar Shahdad Kot and Qambar.

Previously, Kausar Ali Bukhari, Qazi Allah Bux and Syed Jameel Raza Zaidi were appointed to election tribunals for Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur, respectively.

Five election tribunals have been formed for Punjab. These tribunals will sit in Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur.

Javed Rashid Mehboobi will hear petitions from Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Chinniot, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali and Bhakkar; Rana Zahid Mehmood from Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpattan; Saifur Rahman Khan from Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujarat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Narowal; Kazim Ali Malik from Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and Layyah; and Syed Nasir Ali Shah from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal.

Previously Sheikh Liaquat Ali, Malik Ghulam Sarwar, Abdul Razzaq Bhatti, Mohammad Zahoor Abbasi and Mohammad Ashraf Chaudhry were appointed for election tribunals for Punjab.

Three election tribunals have been constituted for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These tribunals will sit in Peshawar, Abbottabad, and Dera Ismail Khan.

Shahji Rehman Khan will hear petitions from Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Swat, Buner, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral, Malakand Protected Area and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata); Ziauddin Khatak will look into petitions from Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Kohistan, Batagram, Tor Ghar (commonly known as Kala Dhaka) and Shangla; and Syed Yahya Zahid Gilani from Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Karak and Hangu.

Three election tribunals have been constituted for Balochistan. These tribunals will sit in Loralai, Quetta and Hub.

Mohammad Naeem Kakar will hear petitions from Loralai, Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Sherani, Barkhan, Musa Khel, Harnai, Ziarat and Kohlu; Mohammad Akbar Khan from Quetta, Pashin, Killa Abdullah, Chaghai, Noshki, Sibi, Dera Bugti, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Kalat, Mastung, Kharan and Washuk; and Syed Abdul Khaliq Shah from Khuzdar, Awaran, Lasbella, Kech, Turbat, Panjgur and Gwadar.

Meanwhile, just two days before the election of prime minister, the ECP notified the success of eight women to reserved seats in the National Assembly from Punjab. They belong to the PML-N, taking the numerical strength of the party in the house to 184.

They are Tahmina Daultana, Zahra Wadood Fatimi, Dr Asma Mamdot, Maryam Aurangzeb, Sabiha Nazir, Amra Khan, Phylis Azeem and Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

There is one more reserved seat for which no notification has been issued and this is also supposed to go to PML-N.

The ECP declared Kishwar Ahmad of PML-N elected to a reserved seat in the National Assembly from Balochistan. The seat had fallen vacant due to resignation of Kiran Haider, also of PML-N.