ANP risks losing symbol for delaying party polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday reserved its verdict on the Awami National Party’s (ANP) request for the grant of six months to conduct intra-party elections, risking the possibility of losing its polls symbol ‘lantern’.

A five-member bench headed by the Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the case of ANP intra-party elections here headed by veteran politician Asfandyar Wali Khan.

ANP Secretary General Mian Iftikhar Hussain appeared before the bench and informed that the last election of ANP was held back in May 2019 and that the term of their intra-party election is four years.

Accordingly, the party’s election was to be held in May this year. The Election Commission officials explained that the petitioner could not fulfil the legal requirement and wanted more time to do the needful.

A certificate about a political party’s intra-party polls is the pre-requisite for qualifying for the allotment of election symbol. A member of the Election Commission made it clear that said that the Election Commission can extend the intra-party election for five years, not more than that.

The counsel for the petitioner explained that on the completion of the tenure of the ANP office-bearers, the party cabinet was allowed an extension by one year.

He added that the party elections are held down to the grassroots level, whereas the organisation is complete up to the ground level, but since general elections are being held, if intra-party elections are held in such a situation, then it will cause confusion. The party’s secretary general Mian Iftikhar urged the bench to give his party six months for intra-party elections.

Addressing Mian Iftikhar, the Chief Election Commissioner remarked that there is no excuse for not holding the intra-party elections. “It does not seem that you will be able to contest the next election on your symbol, you should have prepared for the intra-party elections after three and a half years, as after five years, the Commission cannot extend the intra-party elections. You may or may not get an extension now,” he contended.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission postponed for an indefinite period a petition seeking the removal of caretaker federal minister Fawad Hassan Fawad, as the petitioner Azizuddin Kakakhel could not appear before the commission for arguments.

The Supreme Court advocate Syed Aziz ud Din Kaka Khel submitted a petition to the Election Commission, a few weeks ago, to initiate necessary action for a free, fair and transparent general Election in Pakistan and the removal of biased members of the federal cabinet. On not finding the petitioner around, the ECP bench adjourned the hearing sine die.

On December 19, the Election Commission through a short order ordered the removal of Prime Minister’s Adviser on Establishment Division Ahad Cheema from the cabinet to prevent him from influencing fair and transparent elections.