‘Name of Nawaz can’t be removed from PML-N’

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected the pleas against the registration of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as premier.

The ECP reserved its judgment on September 10 on the applications, seeking removal of ‘N’ from PML. It was ruled that the party would remain registered as PML-N. Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, advocate Ibrar Hussain, advocate Makhdoom Niaz Inqilabi and Raees Abdul Waheed had filed applications. They had contended that after his disqualification, Nawaz could neither be president of a party nor could be a party registered in his name.

They had prayed to the ECP if a person could not be a party president, he could also not be its member. They had sought denotifying PML-N as a political party.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan early this year, had suspended an amendment, which allowed a convicted person to lead a party and ruled that under Articles 62 and 63, a disqualified person could not be the head of a political party. Meanwhile, the ECP fixed October 5 as the last date for application for postal ballot papers for by-election in PS-111, Karachi South-V.

It noted this facility as per the law and is extended to persons in government service, members of the armed forces, holders of public offices, their wives and such children, who are registered voters and reside with them, provided they are stationed at a place other than the place in which their constituency is situated or person with a disability, who is unable to travel and holds CNIC with a logo for physical disability or persons who are detained in prison or held in custody are eligible to vote by postal ballot.

The ECP has dismissed as unfounded and false, which it said continued to circulate in print and the electronic media that Nadra has shared an investigation report into the failure of the result transmission system with the ECP. The ECP said that neither had the ECP sought any such report from Nadra nor had it sent a report on the matter to it.