Polls 2024: PTI marked leaderless entity as Imran Khan exits list of registered parties

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is no longer a part of the list for the registered political parties which will be contesting the February 8, 2024 polls. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday released an updated roster of 175 officially registered political parties representing a diverse spectrum within the country's political arena.

The updated list does not include Khan as the head of the party, marking PTI as a leaderless political entity.

Furthermore, the roster now incorporates the faction led by Pervez Khattak, known as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).

A noteworthy event occurred earlier as Khan-led party lost its electoral symbol, the ''bat,'' following the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) announcement of the reserved verdict on the party's intra-party elections.

After hearing arguments from all concerned parties, the ECP initially reserved its decision.

Following this, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, leading a five-member bench of the election commission, declared PTI's intra-party elections null and void.

After the ECP's verdict, Gohar Ali Khan, who took over as PTI chairman after Imran Khan, will no longer serve as the party's leader.

Significantly, the registered entities include the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by President Abdul Aleem Khan.

The registration of PTI is associated with its former Chairman, Pervez Khattak, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) are registered under the names of Shehbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, respectively.

The list includes several other notable party affiliations.

The Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is registered as the Peoples Party Parliamentarians under Asif Ali Zardari’s name.

Furthermore, the Balochistan Awami Party is registered under the leadership of President Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and the Awami Muslim League Pakistan (AMLP) is listed under the leadership of President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The roster also highlights other prominent political groups, including the Awami National Party (ANP) led by Asfandyar Wali Khan, the Balochistan National Party (BNP) led by Akhtar Mengal, and the Jamaat-e-Islami led by Sirajul Haq.

Additionally, the Jamiat Ulema Islam, led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), represented by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, are listed.