PTI to face consequences if intra-party polls held after 5 years: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday decided to take opinion with reference to the Supreme Court’s order in the reserved seats case and subsequent clarification on its application.

The commission met here under Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and considered the apex court’s July 12 short order on the reserved seats and its subsequent order dated September 14 in response to the clarification sought by the ECP.

The ECP law wing objected to the status of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and insisted it had no organisational structure in place to conduct the intra-party elections. The ECP also considered the legislation passed by parliament on the reserved seats and also examined the legal points and implications in this regard.

The commission also decided to seek advice from a legal expert. The ECP would again meet today (Thursday).

Separately, an ECP three-member bench, headed by Sindh Member Nisar Ahmad Durrani, resumed hearing in the PTI intra-party elections case here. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the forum and requested for 10 more days to submit related record.

Another commission member, Ikramullah Khan questioned, “By the way, where did you hold the election, and if you don’t hold elections within five years and conduct intra-party elections after five years, then you will have to face the consequences.”

Member Balochistan Shah Muhammad Jatoi inquired whether PTI elections were held in Chamkani. Gohar replied that the elections were also held in Islamabad.

The ECP bench then asked the commission officials what the future of PTI would be if the intra-party elections were not recognised again. The DG (political finance) replied to the forum that the party will have no organisational structure. The bench asked the DG to assist it on that point. The hearing was adjourned till October 2 after the PTI was given 10 more days to submit documents.

Later, talking to the media outside the ECP Secretariat, Barrister Gohar hoped that the commission would not put up any hurdles and would recognise their intra-party elections. He explained that the PTI had conducted the best intra-party elections and that no one had objected to the polls. He pointed out that only one point was raised in the letter issued by the ECP that he (Gohar) as the party chairman, had issued a notification to party officials and the Supreme Court had accepted his notification.

He noted there is a hearing on October 2, and hopefully the issue would be resolved this time as the Supreme Court had already resolved this issue.

In the case of intra-party elections of JUI-Fazl, the ECP held hearing and reserved verdict on its request for grant of 60 days to carry out the intra-party electoral exercise. The JUIF lawyer told the Election Commission that the process of intra-party elections has started from July, and that for this 60 days should be given to complete the process.

The CEC remarked that 60 days was too much time. The lawyer said that the matter of constitutional reforms was going on, which was the reason for the delay. Later, the ECP adjourned the hearing of the case.