WEB DESK: Following Pakistan’s general elections, a total of 377 election petitions challenging the outcomes of various National and Provincial Assembly constituencies have been submitted to 23 election tribunals. This was revealed by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its post-election observation report. These tribunals were appointed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Breakdown of Election Tribunals
According to Section 140 of the Elections Act, 2017, the ECP established 17 tribunals: two in Punjab, six in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), five in Sindh, three in Balochistan, and one in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
Additionally, six tribunals in Punjab were appointed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) following a ruling that the ECP must consult with the Chief Justice. The Islamabad High Court also halted the notification of two tribunals initially appointed by the ECP to be headed by retired judges, as per a Presidential Ordinance on May 27, 2024.
Furthermore, the ECP has since challenged the LHC’s appointments in the Supreme Court, which referred the matter to a larger bench.
FAFEN’s Observations and Data Collection
FAFEN is closely monitoring the election dispute processes, including the tribunals. Despite transparency measures adopted by the ECP, the number and details of the petitions have not been disclosed.
FAFEN gathered information from the cause lists on high court websites and obtained certified copies of 171 petitions out of the 377 filed. This data, though incomplete, highlights the scale of the election disputes.
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Distribution of Petitions
FAFEN’s findings indicate that 50 petitions challenge National Assembly outcomes, with 13 in Punjab, 18 in Sindh, nine in KP, seven in Balochistan, and three in ICT. Additionally, 121 petitions contest Provincial Assembly results: 30 in Punjab, 35 in Sindh, 31 in KP, and 25 in Balochistan.
Party-wise Petitioners
The data shows a significant number of petitions from candidates backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), accounting for 46 per cent of the 171 petitions. Other notable parties include Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUIP) with 13 per cent, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) with nine per cent, and Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) with eight per cent.
Independent candidates and those from other parties such as the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamat-e-Islami (JI), Awami National Party (ANP), and National Party (NP) also filed petitions.
Regional Analysis
PTI-backed candidates dominate the challenges in ICT, with significant shares in Punjab (74 percent), KP (49 percent), Sindh (42 percent), and a smaller portion in Balochistan (six percent).
JUIP has a strong presence in Balochistan (25 percent), Sindh (17 percent), and KP (16 percent). PPPP and PML-N have substantial shares in Sindh and Punjab, respectively. Balochistan’s political landscape shows almost all parties challenging election outcomes, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction.
