Bar on Imran’s campaigning ‘unlawful’, says PTI

Party files plea in SC defending LHC orders of suspending ECP May 7 notification


Hasnaat Malik October 12, 2015
PTI logo. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) argued before the Supreme Court that members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were trying to hurt its chief Imran Khan by keeping him out of the election campaign during the by-polls.

Mansoor Sarwar Khan, president PTI central region Punjab, submitted a concise statement on Monday defending the Lahore High Court (LHC) order suspending the ECP May 7 notification in which MNAs and MPAs were barred from entering into the constituencies where by-elections were being held at that time.

On September 8, the apex court, while hearing the ECP’s May 25 plea, had suspended the LHC order and restored the commission’s code. The top court had issued notices to respondents and adjourned the hearing until October 13 (today). Despite the SC stay order, the LHC on September 22 again suspended that ECP notification.

Read: NA-122 by-poll: PTI protests ‘violation of rules’ by ruling party

Though the by-elections in NA-122 and NA-144 have already been held and provincial and federal ministers participated during the campaign, the Supreme Court proceedings will be significant for the upcoming LG polls.

The PTI leader has filed the statement through senior counsel Hamid Khan, requesting the top court to declare the ECP notification as illegal.

The statement says that inclusion of national and provincial assemblies’ members with prime minister and chief minister in the notification is clearly mala fide on the part of the ECP, adding that MNAs and MPAs do not hold any official or government position could fall within the category of those who are in power like premier and chief minister.

The statement alleges that the ECP while issuing notification had Imran Khan in mind because he was perhaps the only MNA who doesn’t hold any government position.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2015.

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