RAWALPINDI - In a surprising move, former legislator of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appeared before Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Delimitation Officer (DO) requesting him to demarcate the areas falling under the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
PML-N stalwart and ex-MNA from NA-48, Anjum Aqeel Khan, through his lawyer Anwar Dar filed an objection with CCB DO Rana Manzoor Ahmed on Monday asking to delimit the areas of ICT. He mentioned in plea that tens of thousands of residents of the areas falling in ICT have cast their votes in National Assembly constituency 54 and PP-10.
He, in his objection, said, “After perusal of the partial amended public notice it further transpired that some more areas of revenue estate of ICT have been included in revised preliminary proposal of delimitation of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board.”
According to Aqeel’s objections, these areas fall under ICT; British Homes from Street Number 6 to 20, British Homes Islamabad Valley Peshawar Road, British Homes Raja Bazaar Peshawar Road, British Homes Gulistan-e-Iqbal Colony Rawalpindi Street Number 3 to 15 Peshawar Road and British Homes Pir Wadahi, Gulistan-e-Iqbal Pir Wadahi Morr, Qasim Abad Street Number 1 Peshawar Road. Gulistan-e-Iqbal Colony Qasim Abad Street Number 1, Qasimabad Street Number 1 to Street 5, Kooh-e-Noor Mills, Qasimabad Street Number 1 to 9, Peshawar Road, Qasimabad Awan Town, Awan Town Street number 19/1 and 19/2, Bokra Village, Naseerabad street number 2 to 12, Kooh-e-Noor Mill, Naseerabad Street Number 3, 3B, 4 and 2C Peshawar Road.
Qasimabad Street Number 4 to 6 Kooh-e-Noor Mills, Naseerabad, Qasimabad, Pirwadhai Road, Qasimabad Street Number 7 to 10 and Awan Town Qasimabad Street Number 20 Peshawar Road, Naseerabad Noshahi Street Number 2 Kooh-e-Noor Mills, Naseerabad Street Number 11, 12 and 15 Peshawar Road, Awan Town Qasimabad Street Number 11 to 15 Peshwar Road, Naseerabad Street Number 2, 3 and Street Number 20 to 32 Peshawar Road, Bilal Masjid Peshawar Road, Gulistan-e-Khudadad, New Bokra, Main Bazaar Kooh-e-Noor Mills, Shams Colony, Postal Colony, PSD CMT Golra Depot Peshawar Road, Jhangi Syedan, Gulshan Khudadad, Phase 4, Peshawar Road, Madina Colony, Haji Camp, Chishtiaabad, Chishtiaabad Gali 4 to 14 Peshawar Road, Chishtiaabad Kooh-e-Noor Mills.
The former MNA in his objections said that abovementioned areas fall within the Revenue Estate of ICT as well as in the constituency NA-48, Islamabad.
Aqeel while talking to The Nation said that RCB could not hold elections beyond its limits as per Section 3 (2) of the Cantonment Act, 1924.
He said that this act of RCB was totally illegal and was against the land of the law. “I will pursue the case till its logical end as thousand of voters of NA-48 have polled their votes in NA-54 and PP-10”. “All the computerised national identity cards of the voters residing in these areas have been issued by NADRA and are registered in voter lists of NA-48,” he said, adding that the areas were also controlled by police station Tarnol. “And I have proofs,” Khan said.
Some other leaders of the party, interviewed by The Nation, blasted Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) saying, “This issue has exposed the weakness and incompetency of the ECP.”
Station House Officer (SHO) PS Tarnol, when contacted, said that some of the areas fall under the jurisdiction of his police station.
SHO Naseerabad also confirmed that Chishtiaabad, Bokra Colony and areas of left side of Peshawar Road (commonly known as Haj Complex) fall under the precincts of PS Tarnool.
Delimitation Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed could not be approached for his comments.