Rejects petitions against delimitation of constituencies
Abdul Khaliq Qureshi Abbottabad
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has retained with minor changes the delimitation of the two National Assembly (NA) and four Provincial Assembly (PA) constituencies in its order issued on Aug 5, rejecting the petitions filed by the 20 ‘aggrieved’ persons from Abbottabad district, seeking re-allocation of the constituencies.
According to detail, the ECP has retained the delimitation of the two national assembly seats and four provincial assembly seats in the order issued on August 05 on the petitions filed by the 20 aggrieved persons from Abbottabad district with minor changes in the challenged petitions.
Election commission comprises of members Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and Justice (R) Ikram Ullah Khan in the verdict has almost retained the original constituencies after hearing the 20 petitions and arguments of the delimitation Committee. Case was discussed for the PK-39, PK 40, PK 41 and PK 42 for the provincial assembly seats and two National Assembly seats NA-6 and NA-17.In almost all the writ petitions, the contenders has objected on the new delimitation of the constituencies and had raised question for the attachment of their respective areas in the constituencies and had demanded the re-allocation of the constituencies but the delimitation committee and their representatives while pleading their case has set eh minimum and maximum limit of the voters and strict to their original plan.
For the National assembly seats, the lower limit was fixed at 633,217 voters and upper limit was fixed at 699,871 and for the provincial assembly seat, lower limit was fixed 316,609 and upper limit was 349,935.
Total registered voters of Abbottabad district are 1,333,089 according to last census. The preliminary delimitations were challenged by Syed Waqr Ahmed (Pk-4),Shezad Gul (PK-36, ),Zulfiqar Fazal (PK-41),Jabreel Abbasi & Others (PK-39,40,41,42), Muhammad Shamrez ( PK-41), Waris Khan (PK-42), Waheed Iqbal (PK-40,41), Munir Ahmed Abbasi (PK-39,40,41 42), Muhammad Riaz Qureshi (NA16,17), Gulfraz Ahmeed Awan (PK-37),Jamsheed Sultan (NA-16,17), Sardar Bahadur (NA -16,17), Muhammad Rafaqat (PK-39), Sardar Fida Muhammad Khan (NA-16,17), Hamid Daud (PK-Sardar Bahadur (NA -16,17), Muhammad Rafaqat (PK-39), Sardar Fida Muhammad Khan (NA-16,17), Hamid Daud (PK-39,40,41,42), Muhammad Ayub Awan (PK-39,40,41 & 42), Ghazanfar Ali Abbasi (PK-39), Sardar shabbier Ahmeed (PK-39) Shahzad Gul (PK-39).
As per order, the some of petitions discussed in detail in the order, it was stated that extent of rest of the National and Provincial assembly constituencies, prepared by the delimitation committee with regard to Abbottabad district will remain same as notified on 31st May 2022 by the election Commission of Pakistan accordingly with the above exception.
