Babar challenges PTI’s intra-party polls in ECP

Founding member of party calls polls ‘mere deception’

As soon as the PTI submitted the report of its intra-party polls to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the results were challenged.

After a resident of Islamabad Raja Tahir Nawaz challenged the results, PTI founding member Akbar S Babar, who later developed differences with its leadership, also followed suit.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, he requested that the PTI should not be allowed to use the ‘cricket bat’ as its electoral symbol until it held transparent intra-party polls.

He also asked the commission to appoint an independent third-party monitor to conduct the PTI’s fresh intra-party polls.

Babar termed the PTI’s intra-party elections mere “pretence and deception”.

He added that the “fraudulent” election process had deprived the PTI members of their right to vote and participate in the polls.

Babar further contended that the PTI had not disclosed the rules and regulations of the intra-party polls; their schedule and procedure; and time for the submission of nomination papers.

The report of the intra-party election results was submitted to the ECP by PTI Chief Election Commissioner Niazullah Niazi.

The commission was provided with the report on the intra-party poll results of the PTI central and provincial organisations.

Later talking to the media, Babar requested that the results of the PTI’s intra-party elections should be declared null and void.

He added that there was no other option but to approach the ECP for justice.

Babar has also submitted the video footage and other evidence to the commission along with his application.

The PTI held its intra-party polls on Saturday on the directives of the commission, with its chief Imran Khan nominating Barrister Gohar Ali Khan for the post of the party’s new chairman following which he was elected to the slot.

Babar announced that he would challenge the PTI’s intra-party elections in court, describing them as a “selection”.

In a statement, Babar said the nomination of the new PTI chairman had raised serious questions about the transparency and credibility of the entire intra-party election process.

Read Many legal loopholes in PTI intra-party polls

He continued that a party, which championed transparency and a level playing field in the national elections, was shying away from allowing its activists an equal opportunity to elect its leadership without interference and manipulation.

According to legal experts, Babar has been given the best opportunity to challenge the polls because of the several flaws in the process.

As per the party’s rules, its national council was supposed to conduct the elections, but no formal meeting of the body was held.

No panel was formed before the intra-party elections.

Similarly, neither ballot papers were printed, nor nomination papers advertised.

Besides, no opportunity was provided to the party members for filing their objections over the papers.

Most of all, every candidate was elected unopposed.

Also, the ECP reserved its decision on the case related to the removal of former PTI chairman Imran Khan from the party’s post.

The commission reserved its decision on the disqualification case after the arguments were completed.

The ECP will also announce its verdict on Wednesday (today) about whether or not a contempt case against Imran and former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry would be heard inside the premises of Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran, former PTI leader Asad Umar and Fawad last year for issuing statements against the electoral body and the chief election commissioner.

During the previous hearing conducted by a four-member tribunal of the commission headed by ECP Sindh member Nasir Durrani on November 30, Imran’s lawyer Shoaib Shaheen was told that the interior ministry had submitted a report, which read that the former PTI chairman could not be presented before any court or tribunal.

The ex-PTI chairman’s lawyer told the tribunal he had not been provided with a copy of the interior ministry’s report despite the submission of an application.

The ECP Sindh member assured the lawyer that he would be provided with a copy of the ministry’s report.

The commission’s tribunal later reserved its decision on the matter.