IHC overturns ECP’s decision to replace Justice Jahangiri as ET judge

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has overturned the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s decision to replace Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri as the Election Tribunal judge.

Chief Justice Amir Farooq presided over the case, delivering the judgment that had been previously reserved. The IHC has referred the matter back to the ECP, instructing them to review their decision.

The ECP had initially appointed a retired judge to replace Justice Jahangiri, a move challenged by PTI leaders Shoaib Shaheen, Aamir Mughal, and Ali Bukhari. The ECP had earlier accepted requests from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MNAs, who sought to transfer the election tribunal for all three constituencies in Islamabad.

A four-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, had issued the reserved judgment, granting the pleas of Khurram Nawaz, Anjum Aqeel, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who argued that the tribunal lacked impartiality.

All three were elected from Islamabad in the February 8 general elections, where PML-N candidates secured all three National Assembly seats in the federal capital.