ECP announces verdict against PPP Yusuf Raza Gillani petition

ECP announces verdict against PPP Yusuf Raza Gillani petition

Karachi) The Election Com­mission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected PTI's petition seeking to block notification about Yousuf Raza Gilani’s victory in the Senate election, local media reported.

A four-member committee of the ECP reserved its verdict today after hearing arguments from the ruling party.

The PTI had submitted a petition through its lawmakers Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari and Kanwal Shauzab seeking disqualification of senator-elect Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The petition filed on the basis of a leaked audio clip of Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah purportedly bargaining with four PTI lawmakers for their votes in Senate elections and a video of Gilani’s son Ali Haider in which he is showing some PTI MNAs techniques how to waste their votes.

Earlier, after a nail biting contest, Pakistan Peoples Party Candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani won the Senate seat from Islamabad, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Hafeez Sheikh.

Gilani secured 169 votes, while his opponent Sheikh got 164 Senate votes. However, PTI still managed to claim majority in Senate by securing 18 seats followed by PPP with eight votes.