PTI will consider returning to assemblies after formation of judicial commission: Qureshi

Party’s core committee decides to dissolve all its elected bodies, and form a new election commisison

ISLAMABAD:  The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has deferred the decision over returning to the national and provincial assemblies till a notification for a judicial commission to investigate alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections is issued.

“Our demand for the formation of a judicial commission has been met, and the party would take a decision on whether to return to the assemblies after a notification of the judicial commission is issued,” PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said while addressing the media.

The decision was taken during a core committee meeting of the party, headed by PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Qureshi said the PTI reached an agreement with the government on December 27, 2014, over the commission but there was a stalemate over ToRs, which have been agreed upon now.

Responding to a question, Qureshi said they hope the commission completes its work in 45 days "but they are free and can take as much time as needed for the job.”

PTI dissolves elected bodies

Meanwhile, the party’s core committee decided to accept the recommendations of a tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed, over complaints of rigging in intra-party elections and decided to dissolve all elected bodies.

A PTI commission, headed by Justice Ahmed, had recommended the party leadership to dissolve all bodies, committees and offices of the party, including the core committee and the central executive committee. The commission was formed by PTI chairman Imran Khan to investigate complaints about the intra-party elections held in December 2012.

“We have accepted the findings of Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed, keeping in view the democratic norms in our party,” said Qureshi.

He added that after dissolving all elected bodies, the PTI chairman would nominate office bearers till a new intra-party election took place.

“We had the option to ignore the findings but we accepted the recommendations in letter and spirit keeping in view the democratic norms,” Qureshi said, adding there was no such practice in the other parties.

Imran will announce a new election commission of the party within the next few days, added Qureshi.