Pak Supreme Court to hear petition to annul poll results on Monday

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan listed a petition to annul the recently declared general election results on Monday. Several parties have alleged that the election was rigged and there was a deliberate delay in announcing results, Press Trust of India reported.

The petition will be heard by a three-judge bench helmed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. It also demanded the re-conduction of polls within 30 days and should be under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the petitioner is a citizen named Ali Khan, and he has also made the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the federal government respondents in the case.

"The petitioner seeks the apex court to order fresh elections within 30 days. The plea seeks general elections under the supervision and oversight of the judiciary to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability," said the report.

Additionally, the petition also seeks a stay order on the formation of the new government till the case is resolved.

Last Thursday's general elections in Pakistan produced a hung Parliament as none of the parties could manage to get a majority mandate.

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) supported independent candidates secured 92 seats, while Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured 75 and 54 seats, respectively.

Due to the fractured mandate, the PML-N and the PPP are trying to form a government with former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif as the next prime minister.

The PTI is also making a similar attempt with Umar Ayub Khan, who is the party secretary general and the grandson of former military dictator Ayub Khan, as the prime ministerial candidate.

The petition seeking annulment of the polls came as several political parties, including the PTI, the PPP, the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have levelled allegations of rigging in the general elections.

The final results of the polls were announced after an inordinate delay, raising doubts over elections' transparency.