PTI to mount court challenge to ECP ruling on intra-party polls

Barrister Gauhar terms ruling weak and flawed; asks candidates to file papers

PESHAWAR:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Saturday it would challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision that nullified its intra-party elections, in the Supreme Court as well as in the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

Talking to The Express Tribune, Barrister Gohar Khan, who was elected as the PTI chairman in the now- nullified intra-party polls, said that the ECP’s ruling, which was announced on Friday, was a weak verdict and contained several flaws.

On Friday a five-member ECP bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, nullified the PTI’s intra-party elections, depriving the former ruling party of its famous "cricket bat" electoral symbol.

The announcement of the previously reserved decision came hours after PTI representatives met with the ECP officials on the Supreme Court order aimed at removing the party's reservations regarding a lack of level-playing field for the upcoming general elections.

Gauhar said that he was saddened by the ECP decision. “The decision of the Election Commission is very weak. There are many flaws in the decision of the Election Commission,” he told The Express Tribune. He added that he expected justice from the court.

About the party’s electioneering, Gohar said that the candidates had been instructed to submit their nomination papers. About the reports of difficulties facing the party’s intending candidates, he said: “We have a plan B. We will go to court.”
PTI sources said that Gohar was expected to meet PTI founder Imran Khan, who is currently lodged in Adiala Jail, for consultation on a future course of action in the wake of the ECP decision.

The PTI went into its intra-party elections earlier this month to fulfil an ECP requirement to retain the party’s electoral symbol of 'Bat’. The party elected Barrister Gohar Ali Khan – who was nominated by the party’s founding chairman Imran Khan – as the new chairman.

However, a founding PTI member, Akbar S Khan, expressed concerns over the procedures for the intra-party polling system. Later, Babar challenged the party's intra-party polls in the ECP, terming the elections mere “pretence and deception”.

On Friday the ECP declared the PTI election null and void. “It is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019 and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules,” it said.