LAHORE: An election tribunal dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) Hamid Zaman, which had alleged rigging during the 2013 general elections in Lahore’s NA-118 constituency, upholding Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) MNA Riaz Malik’s victory.Hamid Zaman had urged the tribunal to disqualify MNA Riaz Malik on grounds of rigging. The tribunal’s decision, which had been reserved yesterday, was announced Wednesday.

Riaz Malik of the PML-N had been victorious from NA-118 with 104,000 votes, while Hamid Zaman was the runner-up with 40,000 votes.

The tribunal’s decision was handed out by retired Justice Rasheed Qamar. Previously, retired Justice Kazim Malik, who had deseated PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq from Lahore’s NA-122 constituency, was adjudicating the petition. But after Malik’s retirement, the case was heard by Rasheed Qamar.

Also read: ‘Threats’ to NA-122 judge prove PML-N fixed election results: Imran.

The tribunal said the petitioner was unable to present concrete evidence to support his claims.