PM Khan okays challenging ECP order for re-polling in NA-75

Prime Minister Imran Khan has given the government legal team a green signal to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order to conduct re-polling in Sialkot’s NA-75 constituency. Punjab CM’s aide Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and the legal team met the premier in Islamabad on Friday. The prime minister okayed challenging the ECP order in the Lahore High Court. The ECP ordered re-polling in Sialkot’s NA-75 after the results of the February 19 by-elections were challenged by members of the opposition. The PML-N accused the PTI of attempting to rig the elections after some presiding members went missing during the vote count. The officers came to the ECP the next morning with the results and said they left early because the fog was too dense. The ECP ruled that the by-elections were neither fair nor just. Re-polling will be held on March 18. At least 360 polling stations will be set up in the constituency. The ECP had also ordered the authorities to remove officials who were negligent in the February 19 by-polls. On Thursday, it ordered the removal of Gujranwala commissioner and regional police officer, Sialkot deputy commissioner and district police officer, and Daska assistant commissioner for being negligent in their duties. The government’s legal team intends to challenge the removal orders too. In its briefing, the legal team told PM Khan that the ECP doesn’t have any authority to order removal of government officials.