ECP restores Khawaja Saad Rafique NA membership
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ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday officially restored Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique's membership in the National Assembly (NA).
Previously, an election tribunal annulled results of the Lahore's NA-125 and PP-155 constituencies and ordered a re-poll on the seats won by PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, the Railways Minister and Mian Naseer. Earlier this week, the apex court had suspended the tribunal's order and ruled for restoration of Rafique's NA membership.
Read: Railways Minister Saad Rafique loses NA seat
The ECP had de-notified the PML-N leader as member of the National Assembly. “In supersession of this commission’s notification of even number dated May 6, 2015, and pursuant to the judgement dated May 4, 2015, passed by the Election Tribunal, Faisalabad, (Camp at Lahore) in election petition No 194/2013 titled (Hamid Khan vs Khawaja Saad Rafique and others), the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby de-notifies the membership of Khawaja Saad Rafique in the National Assembly from constituency NA-125 Lahore VII, with effect from May 4, 2015,” said a notification issued by the ECP.
In his appeal filed through senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmad, the PML-N leader had requested the apex court to urgently hear the matter and suspend the tribunal’s ruling till a decision on his appeal.
Also read: Saad Rafique moves SC against de-seating
The petitioner argued that the tribunal’s order to hold re-election in the NA-125 constituency was manifestly illegal and without lawful authority because it was based on gross misconception of the law and principles warranting interferences in the election matters and de-seating of an elected representative of the people.
Take a look: SC suspends election tribunal verdict on NA-125, PP-155
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court suspended the decision of an election tribunal which ordered re-election in NA-125 and PP-155 after hearing Rafique's response.
In light of the apex court's ruling, the ECP restored the his membership as the NA-125 MNA along with PML-N's Mian Naseer who won from the PP-155 constituency.
