Cellular, internet services suspended in Quetta

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has suspended cellular and internet services in Quetta for two days, it emerged on Sunday.

The development came shortly after Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) announced a shutter-down strike against "rigging" in re-polling in Balochistan Assembly's constituency PB-45 Quetta VIII.

"The protest will continue until we get our rights," the JUI-F provincial emir said, announcing a strike from today.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Ali Madad Khattak secured victory in re-polling in PB-45 constituency after grabbing 6,883 votes, according to unofficial and unconfirmed results.

Meanwhile, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) candidate Nasarullah Zayrai secured second place with 4,122 votes. JUI-F's Usman Pirkani came in third place after securing 3,731 votes.

It is to mention that previously, Haji Ali Madad Jattak of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party had won this seat.

Earlier in January, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal challenging the election tribunal’s decision to conduct a recount of votes at 15 polling stations in the Balochistan Assembly constituency PB-45, Quetta.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed and comprising Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Aqeel Abbasi, delivered the judgment in the appeal filed by Mir Ali Madad Jatak, the returning candidate of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from PB-45.

The court upheld the election tribunal’s decision, affirming the need for a recount at the specified polling stations. On November 20, 2024, the bench reserved its verdict while dismissing Jatak’s appeal.

In the 25-page judgment authored by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, the court observed that under the Election Act, election tribunals possess the authority of a civil court. The tribunal can exercise its powers to record statements under the law of evidence when adjudicating election disputes.

The judgment revealed that through Form 45, an increase of 4,912 votes was made in favour of the petitioner, while the vote count for his opponent, Mir Muhammad Usman, remained unchanged at 1,623.

“As per the record of the election tribunal, fraud was committed in Form 45 across 15 polling stations in the constituency,” the judgment stated.

The court upheld the election tribunal’s ruling and dismissed the appeal filed by Mir Ali Madad Jatak.