Salman Akram Raja challenges exclusion in NA-128 vote count

LAHORE, Feb 09: PTI-backed independent candidate Salman Akram Raja has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, challenging his exclusion from the vote counting process in NA-128.

During the court hearing presided over by Justice Ali Baqir Najafi, Raja alleged that he was unlawfully prevented from participating in the vote tallying at the returning officer's office. Claiming an initial lead of 80,000 votes, Raja asserted that his expulsion from the counting process resulted in a manipulative alteration of results.

The Lahore High Court promptly summoned the returning officer of NA-128 to address Raja's concerns. Unofficial and inconclusive results from all 433 polling stations in NA-128 revealed that Aoon Chaudhry, the joint candidate of the Stability Pakistan Party and PML-N, secured victory with over 172,000 votes.

Meanwhile, Salman Akram Raja emerged as the runner-up, garnering 159,000 votes. Despite the outcome, Raja remains steadfast in challenging the election results, citing irregularities and asserting his rightful claim to victory.

Raja's petition underscores the contentious nature of the election process, particularly in NA-128, where seat adjustments between IPP and PML-N were made, with Nawaz Sharif himself casting his vote in the constituency.

As the legal battle unfolds in the Lahore High Court, attention remains focused on the outcome of Raja's petition and its potential implications for the electoral process in the region.