ECP acknowledges Aimal Wali as new ANP president

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday notified certificate of Awami National Party’s (ANP) intra party elections conducted after a year’s delay and the notification acknowledges Aimal Wali Khan as its new president.

The notification has been issued a day after the revised list of political parties was issued by the ECP, mentioning Asfandyar Wali Khan as the ANP President on the list at serial No 13. However, the party had announced the same day to move court against not issuing the related certificate concerning its intra-party polls.

“In pursuance of sections 208 & 209 (3) of the Elections Act, 2017 read with sub-rule (2) of Rule 158 of the Election Rules, 2017, ECP is pleased to publish for public information, the certificate containing the information with regard to conduct of intra-party elections, the detail of election result along with copy of notification showing the names, designations and addresses of the party’s elected office bearers, in respect of ‘Awami National Party’ as per annexures,” reads the notification. However, the ‘updated’ list of political parties remains unchanged, with Asfandyar Wali as the party president despite issuance of the notification (certificate) which recognizes Aimal Wali Khan as President of the party after passage of over more than three electoral exercises conducted in Peshawar.

On January 13, the Election Commission had given a go-ahead to the ANP to contest February 8 general elections on its symbol of ‘Lantern’ despite its failure to fulfil the legal requirement of holding intra party polls. The development came a day after ECP delisted 13 political parties over their failure to meet the legal requirement.

The ECP, while announcing its reserved verdict, had also imposed a fine of Rs20,000 on the ANP with the direction to hold intra-party polls till May 10, some three months after the general elections.

The electoral body had earlier noted that ANP’s last intra-party polls were conducted in May 2019, and since the term of office-bearers was four years according to its constitution, the same had already expired over eight months back. The verdict reserved on December 21 last year on the ANP’s intra-party polls was announced on the last date for allocation of symbols to the contesting candidates by the returning officers.