Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar and five other party members filed petitions in the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Saturday, alleging that their defeat in the recent general elections was a result of rigging.

Amir Moeen Pirzada from NA-241, Waqar Shah from PS-97, Masood Mehmood from PS-98, Asif Ali Khan from PS-126 and Jamal Ahmed from PS-130 also filed petitions, urging the high court to order recounting in their constituencies as they suspected rigging.

Sattar, who had lost from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's Aamir Hussain Liaquat from NA-245, cast doubts on the election results saying that MQM-P members who contested elections were not given Form-45. While talking to the media, he claimed that MQM-P members were "forcefully declared as losers" and that the elections were "engineered".

Take a look: NA-245 — a new constituency where Farooq Sattar is pitted against Aamir Liaquat

He also asked why the "presiding officers drove our polling agents out [of the rooms] during the counting process".

"Imran Khan had promised to reopen as many constituencies as we ask," Sattar said and added that he had evidence of rigging in his constituency. He then demanded the video footage of the counting between 7pm-1am.

"They [presiding officers] turned some people's victories into losses and others losses into victories," he said.

Pirzada, in his petition, alleged that ballot papers from his constituency were burned and dumped in a trash heap. He further said that he, along with other petitioners from the MQM-P, lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of Pakistan, but the body "remained silent even after such a huge incident".

Though Sattar highlighted the reservations of MQM-P members who lost the elections, he distanced himself from the other party members at the SHC. He filed his petition separately and did not talk to the other MQM-P leaders who were in the high court building at the time.

Opinion

Editorial

High troop losses
Updated 24 Dec, 2024

High troop losses

Continuing terror attacks show that our counterterrorism measures need a revamp. Localised IBOs appear to be a sound and available option.
Energy conundrum
24 Dec, 2024

Energy conundrum

THE onset of cold weather in the country has brought with it a familiar woe: a severe shortage of piped gas for...
Positive cricket change
24 Dec, 2024

Positive cricket change

HEADING into their Champions Trophy title defence, Pakistan are hitting the right notes. Mohammad Rizwan’s charges...
Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...