K-P 'safer' for PTI leaders than Punjab: Barrister Gohar

PTI chairman hopes the party will not be kept out of elections

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday claimed that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) was ‘safer’ for the party's leaders than the province of Punjab.

While speaking to the media in Peshawar after his appearance at the high court, the newly elected PTI chairman said that he hoped that a party having "70 per cent popularity" across the country would not be kept out of the upcoming elections. “If this happens, a question mark would be raised over the polls,” he added.

“The judiciary is responsible for the protection of rights,” he maintained.

The hearing

Today, a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), including Justice Shakeel Ahmed and Justice S.M. Atiq Shah presided over cases pertaining to the intra-party elections within the party as well as the PTI’s official symbol for the elections.

Presiding over the hearing, Justice Shakeel Ahmad questioned Barrister Gohar why he had not filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). To this, the party head alleged that as PTI leaders cannot go to Punjab, K-P remains ‘safer’ for them, adding: “The reality is that our leaders are arrested there”.

Meanwhile, Justice Shah remarked: “You are the chairman now. Such statements are not expected from you”.

Taking a stand, the PTI chairman informed the courtroom that intra-party elections were held in Peshawar. “That’s why we are here,” he said. “The election commission is everywhere. We can do it anywhere,” he maintained.

Read ECP to receive nomination papers today

Intra-party poll quagmire

On December 8, PTI’s intra-party elections were thrust into uncertainty after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the party a notice on a plea seeking to have the polls declared null and void.

A five-member bench, presided over by the chief election commissioner, held a preliminary hearing on 14 applications, seeking nullification of PTI’s intra-party elections.

In the hearing, estranged PTI founding member Akbar S Babar's legal representative asserted that all parties conduct intra-party elections, citing the election commission's directive to the PTI.

Last week, the electoral body raised further questions over the PTI intra-party polls, stating that the party did not fulfil the legal requirements under the party’s constitution Rules 2020 and the Election Act 2017.

The ECP had summoned PTI Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Niazullah Niazi yesterday, seeking an explanation from him.

The new party chairman was elected unopposed on December 2 after being nominated for the post by ex-PTI chief Imran Khan.

The ‘bat’ symbol

It should be noted that on December 10, the PTI had vowed that it would contest polls ‘with or without’ the bat symbol and would not give a walkover to its opponents in the upcoming general elections slated to be held on February 8, 2024.

Despite PTI adhering to the legal requirements set by the ECP and cautioning against any attempt to strip them of the bat symbol, a key official had said that the party also had a plan B if the bat symbol is snatched from it.

The electoral watchdog had directed the party to hold intra-party polls within 20 days to be able to retain the ‘bat’ as the party’s symbol.