Overview
- An election tribunal threw out PTI-backed candidate Mehar Sharafat’s challenge to the PP-159 result in an order dated Oct. 21 that surfaced Monday.
- Presiding officer retired justice Rana Zahid Mahmood said the case advanced broad claims without addressing verification and attestation requirements.
- Official tallies record Maryam Nawaz with 23,598 votes versus Sharafat’s 21,491 in the Feb. 8 poll.
- Sharafat had asserted that Form 45 showed him ahead and alleged manipulation through Form 47 to declare Maryam the winner.
- Following the ruling, Sharafat publicly offered Rs20 million, an apology, and his exit from politics if Maryam proves her victory, as international observers continue to question the 2024 election’s credibility.