QUETTA: The Balochistan Election Tribunal on Friday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold re-elections on PB-50 Turbat.

The tribunal passed this order on an application filed by National Party's leader Akram Baloch.

Earlier, Baloch had pleaded that Akbar Askani, a Pakistan Muslim League (N) legislator, had won the seat through fraud and rigging.

Tribunal judge Justice Hashim Kakar said in his judgement that evidence of irregularities, fraud and rigging was found in the elections of PB-50 Turbat.

"Evidence of rigging were found in PB-50 constituency," the court order said. "Now it is the responsibility of the ECP to ensure immediate holding of elections in the constituency," the order added.

Akram Baloch, who was the running candidate for PB-50, had served as the Speaker of Balochistan Assembly during Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi's government in the 1990s.

There was no immediate reaction on the part of Askani.

However, sources close to the development told Dawn that Askani was likely to challenge the tribunal's decision in the Supreme Court.