Imran sets Election Reforms Act in the cross hairs
Moves top court today against law allowing Sharif to become party head
PTI Chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Having won a legal battle, the Panamagate case, against Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan plans to go into yet another battle.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman is all set to personally challenge in the Supreme Court the Election Reforms Act, 2017 – the new law that allowed Sharif, the deposed prime minister, to become head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML- N).
Khan had challenged Sharif’s qualification as MNA in the wake of the Panama Papers leaks last year, and was successful in ousting him from parliamentary politics. And now he seeks to throw his prime political foe out of party politics as well.
The PTI chief’s will file a petition against the Election Reforms Act, 2017 today (Tuesday) through Babar Awan, his counsel.
However, sources said that senior party leaders were concerned over the petition being filed by Khan personally. They believe that like the PPP – which is moving a similar petition through Nayyar Bukhari – the PTI should also file the petition through a senior party leader, and not the party chief.
However, a senior member of the PTI’s legal believes the time is right to abandon the “agitated prosecution approach” against political opponents in courts. He said it would be better if the party leadership devised a strategy for the next general elections.
According to another party member, senior leaders, who are aware of the prevailing situation, do not agree to taking the route of courts on political matters.
According to the PTI’s petition to be filed today, the disqualification – expressly provided under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution – could neither be overtaken by any sub-constitutional law nor by a person who “cannot become a parliamentarians or office-bearer of a political party”.
“The Election Act, 2017 reduces the principles of Sadiq and Amin as naught and the repeal of the Political Parties Order of 2002 violates Article 260(3) of the Constitution,” the petition states.
The SC registrar has already returned all petitions filed by senior parliamentarians, including Sheikh Rasheed and other PPP leaders, against the law.
Having won a legal battle, the Panamagate case, against Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan plans to go into yet another battle.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman is all set to personally challenge in the Supreme Court the Election Reforms Act, 2017 – the new law that allowed Sharif, the deposed prime minister, to become head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML- N).
Khan had challenged Sharif’s qualification as MNA in the wake of the Panama Papers leaks last year, and was successful in ousting him from parliamentary politics. And now he seeks to throw his prime political foe out of party politics as well.
The PTI chief’s will file a petition against the Election Reforms Act, 2017 today (Tuesday) through Babar Awan, his counsel.
Electoral reforms law challenged in top court
However, sources said that senior party leaders were concerned over the petition being filed by Khan personally. They believe that like the PPP – which is moving a similar petition through Nayyar Bukhari – the PTI should also file the petition through a senior party leader, and not the party chief.
However, a senior member of the PTI’s legal believes the time is right to abandon the “agitated prosecution approach” against political opponents in courts. He said it would be better if the party leadership devised a strategy for the next general elections.
According to another party member, senior leaders, who are aware of the prevailing situation, do not agree to taking the route of courts on political matters.
Electoral reforms: PTI decides not to back off from its proposals
According to the PTI’s petition to be filed today, the disqualification – expressly provided under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution – could neither be overtaken by any sub-constitutional law nor by a person who “cannot become a parliamentarians or office-bearer of a political party”.
“The Election Act, 2017 reduces the principles of Sadiq and Amin as naught and the repeal of the Political Parties Order of 2002 violates Article 260(3) of the Constitution,” the petition states.
The SC registrar has already returned all petitions filed by senior parliamentarians, including Sheikh Rasheed and other PPP leaders, against the law.