Lahore Tribunal Dismisses Petition Challenging Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Election Victory

By our staff reporter Farzana Chaudhry

Lahore: The Election Tribunal Lahore has dismissed a petition filed against the election victory of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif from provincial constituency PP-159.

The petition was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehr Sharafat Ali, who challenged the legitimacy of Maryam Nawaz’s win in the February elections.

Delivering a reserved verdict, Tribunal Judge Rana Zahid Mahmood ruled that the petitioner failed to meet the requirements outlined in Rule 144 of the Election Act 2017, rendering the petition inadmissible.

According to the written judgment, the petition lacked signatures on every page, and the petitioner’s and his father’s names were missing from the affidavit attested by the Oath Commissioner—both considered mandatory legal requirements.

During the hearing, Barrister Asadullah Chatta, representing Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, argued that the petition was procedurally defective and did not meet the basic legal criteria for admission. The tribunal agreed, stating that his arguments were legally sound and the case did not warrant a formal trial.

With this decision, Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s electoral victory from PP-159 stands unchallenged, reinforcing her position as the Chief Minister of Punjab.