ECP lists pleas against PTI polls for hearing tomorrow

Contempt proceedings against Imran, Fawad to be held at Adiala Jail

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday fixed the petitions against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party polls for hearing on Friday (tomorrow).

Eleven petitioners, including PTI’s founding member Akbar S Babar, who later developed differences with its leadership, had challenged the party’s intra-party elections.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Babar requested that the former ruling party should not be allowed to use “cricket bat” as its electoral symbol until it held transparent intra-party polls.

He urged 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 election supervisor was provided with the report on the intra-party poll results of the PTI central and provincial organisations.

Read also: PTI announces office-bearers following intra-party elections

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 also submitted the 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.

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.

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.

Read: PTI rejects Babar's claims of ‘sham’ party polls

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.

The polls supervisor has fixed the petitions against the PTI intra-party polls for hearing on December 8 (tomorrow).

Announcing its reserved verdict on Wednesday, the ECP also decided to conduct contempt proceedings against Imran Khan and former federal minister Fawad Chaudry at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail where both leaders are incarcerated.

The proceedings will commence on December 13. The election supervisor directed the interior ministry to make necessary arrangements in this regard within two days.

The polls supervisor has decided to indict Imran and Fawad at the next hearing.

Citing security concerns, the interior ministry had requested the ECP to conduct the trial at Adiala Jail.

A four-member tribunal of the commission led by Nisar Durrani will hear the case.

The proceedings of Imran’s trial in the Toshakhana, cipher, and £190 million settlement case are already taking place inside the premises of Adiala Jail due to “security concerns”.

Also read: Babar challenges PTI’s intra-party polls in ECP

Last year, the ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran, former PTI leader Asad Umar and Fawad for issuing statements against the polls supervisor and the chief election commissioner, issuing non-bailable arrest warrants through the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

However, in a media talk on July 20, Fawad made a verbal apology to the election supervisor, stressing that he had "no personal issues with the CEC or the ECP” and that he was the "party spokesman at the time and all statements were in accordance with the party policy".

Maintaining that he was following the PTI’s policy, he requested the ECP to “let the matter go”.

As the leader apologised to the ECP for his statements, the CEC noted that the former PTI leader had "insulted the ECP. Your party chairman used disrespectful language against my wife".

The ECP, however, then ordered the former minister to issue a written apology before adjourning the hearing until August 1.

On November 23, Fawad unconditionally apologised to the ECP, urging them to quell the contempt case against him.

However, the three politicians challenged the ECP notices, protesting that Section 10 of the Election Act 2017 was against the Constitution of Pakistan. They also sought relief from contempt proceedings from the high courts, instead of appearing before the ECP.

Meanwhile, the ECP has termed the statement given by a few segments of the society on social media about registration of ghost voters in Murree and other constituencies “baseless” while rejecting the notion that the act was carried out to benefit a particular party.

Under Sections 26 and 27 of the Election Act, voters are registered according to their permanent or temporary address on their CNIC, the polls supervisor added.