Pakistan court sets aside division of 2 Sikh-populated constituencies in Nankana Sahib

Lahore, December 16

A Pakistani high court on Friday set aside the division of two Sikh-populated constituencies of the National Assembly in Punjab province.

"Lahore High Court Justice Ali Baqar Najafi struck down the delimitation of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Nankana Sahib, which has a sizeable Sikh population in the province," a court official told PTI.

Sikh leader Sardar Mastan Singh challenged that the top election body's new delimitation of NA constituencies 111 and 112 divided the Sikh population in Nankana Sahib.

"For a long time, the Sikh community's population was in a single constituency. The election commission held delimitations of both constituencies without considering ground realities," the petitioner said, requesting the court to set aside the delimitation order, keeping the Sikh population in Nankana Sahib in a single constituency.

"Justice Najafai declared the delimitations of the two constituencies in Nankana Sahib as null and void and also directed the ECP to undertake a fresh delimitation in light of the representation of the petitioner," the court official said.

Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

The general election in Pakistan is scheduled for February 8.