Islamabad:

Between February 1 and April 20, 2025, the election courts submitted 24 petitions related to last year’s parliamentary elections, which brought the total number of cases decided to 136 – approx. 37 percent of all petitions currently heard across the four provinces.

According to the free and fair electoral network (FAFEN), which has systematically traced 372 petitions filed with 23 election courts after the polls have been made of 26 percent of the challenges of national assembly forces and 42 percent of these regarding provincial assemblies.

Of the 24 petitions decided, 21 from Punjab, two from Balochistan and one from Sindh.

In Punjab, two courts in Lahore eight cases decided, one in Rawalpindi decided seven, and one in Bahawalpur decided six.

The two Quetta courts disposed of a case each, while a court in Karachi only disposed of a case.

Meanwhile, no petitions from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were decided during this period.

Despite an increase in the number of petitions decided in Punjab compared to previous months, the overall pace slowed down.

The network noted that the slower pace in decisions can be attributed to four largely dysfunctional courts during the reporting period, including two in KP, one in Punjab and the only court in Islamabad capital.

So far, Balochistan’s three courts have collectively decided 43 (83 percent) of the total 51 petitions filed for national and provincial constituencies in the province.

Punjab’s eight courts have decided 66 (34 percent) of 192 petitions. Sindh’s five courts have decided 18 (22 percent) of 83 petitions. KP’s six courts have decided nine (21 percent) of 42 petitions.

Out of 124 petitions challenging the results of NA choices, 33 (26 percent) have been decided so far.

Of these, 19 were from Punjab, eight from Balochistan, four from Sindh and two from KP.

Out of 248 petitions that challenge the results of provincial assembly circles, 103 (42 percent) have been decided. These include 47 from Punjab, 35 from Balochistan, 14 from Sindh and Seven from KP.

Out of the 136 petitions decided so far, 133 were rejected and three were accepted. Among the 133 redundancies, 52 were dismissed due to non-maintenance, including 10 related to NA-election circles and 42 to provincial assemblies’ constituencies.

Another 21 were rejected because the allegations could not be proved during the trial.

These 21 included two for NA and 19 for provincial assemblies. Nine petitions were withdrawn, including four for NA and five for provincial assemblies.