Opposition leader Omar Ayub denounces ECP, calls for invoking Article 6

PTI's gen-sec demands immediate resignation of chief election commissioner, accusing ECP of interfering with campaign

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), calling for Article 6 to be invoked against those who misinterpreted the Constitution. 
This follows the ECP's decision to deprive Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its iconic election symbol, the bat.

Ayub's comments on Friday came after the Supreme Court's full bench delivered an 8-5 majority verdict, entitling PTI to seats reserved for women and minorities, following pleas from the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). The ECP had previously rejected these pleas.

Read: ECP clarifies stance on SC's decision to allocate reserved seats to PTI

The Supreme Court's ruling overturned the Peshawar High Court's decision, which had upheld the ECP's stance against the PTI-backed SIC's claims to the reserved seats.

"I congratulate the entire nation on this auspicious day and commend our legal team," stated Ayub, the PTI general-secretary, during a press conference. He was joined by other PTI leaders, including Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz, Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, and legal expert Salman Akram Raja.

Ayub reiterated PTI founder Imran Khan's belief in the supremacy of law, constitution, ethics, and justice. He demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and four other ECP members, accusing them of stripping the party of its election symbol and interfering with its campaign.

Also Read: Rana Sanaullah criticises Supreme Court's reserved seats decision favouring PTI

"The ECP misinterpreted the law and Constitution for their vested interests," Ayub asserted, emphasising that no entity should undermine the public mandate.

In response, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, countered PTI’s claims. He stated, "The PTI never claimed the reserved seats. If the ECP misinterpreted the ruling, PTI could have clarified it. Even if PTI made a mistake, it is the court's role to rectify it."

Sanaullah also noted that the Supreme Court's decision did not favor SIC, as their petition was rejected. He stressed that judicial verdicts should be transparent, comprehensible, and promote national progress.

Read More: Law Minister Tarar says SC verdict on reserved seats poses no threat to coalition govt

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar echoed these sentiments, stating that the Supreme Court's ruling posed no threat to the current coalition government. "We still have a majority of 209 members, and the verdict is not final yet," he remarked.

Tarar added that it was up to the federal cabinet, not a single minister, to decide on filing a review petition against the verdict.