ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has suspended the decision of the Multan Election Tribunal regarding holding by-election in NA-154 Lodhran.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Saqib Nisar gave the decision on Tuesday in response to a petition filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Muhammad Siddique Khan Baloch.
Siddique Baloch had challenged the verdict of the election tribunal announced on August 26 which had declared the election held in May 2013 in Lodhran’s NA-154 null and void and ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct fresh polls in the constituency.
The tribunal had also said that Siddique Baloch possessed a fake degree; therefore, he was not eligible to remain as member of the National Assembly.
Also read: Election tribunal orders re-polling in NA-154 by nullifying election result
However, the Supreme Court in its verdict on Tuesday restored Siddique Baloch’s membership of the National Assembly and suspended the election tribunal’s order of re-election in the NA-154.
The apex court issued notices to all the parties concerned.
In his remarks after the apex court’s judgment, Siddique Baloch said that challenging the decision of the election tribunal to get justice was his right.
Siddique Baloch said that his degree is genuine and the allegations made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jehangir Tareen against his degree are baseless.
It is pertinent to mention here that by-elections in NA-154 Lodhran-I were scheduled on October 11.
