PTI issued notice on pleas challenging intra-party polls

In Islamabad, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notice to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday in response to a plea seeking the annulment of the party’s recent intra-party elections. Presided over by the chief election commissioner, a five-member bench conducted a preliminary hearing on 14 applications challenging the legitimacy of the PTI’s intra-party polls.

During the hearing, the legal representative of estranged PTI founding member Akbar S Babar argued that all political parties should follow the election commission’s directive on intra-party elections. He highlighted that a public notice was issued on November 30, and elections took place two days later without disclosing a voter list or announcing the election schedule.

Responding to queries from the ECP Sindh member, Babar’s counsel clarified that the PTI’s constitution did not specify the procedure for intra-party polls. He suggested that if the party constitution lacked specific election procedures, the Elections Act should govern the polls. According to him, the PTI’s intra-party elections violated the act.

Regarding Babar’s party membership status, the Sindh member was informed that he remained a party member, as confirmed by a high court decision. Babar’s counsel urged the court to nullify the PTI’s intra-party elections and proposed conducting fresh elections through a third party.

When asked for evidence, the KP ECP member was informed of video evidence supporting the claims. The petitioner’s counsel emphasized the lack of voter lists, nomination papers, scrutiny, and final lists in the intra-party elections, characterizing them as sham elections. Another lawyer contended that incarcerated individuals were given positions, citing specific examples.

The chief election commissioner inquired whether the ECP had received a written complaint from the party on the matter, to which the lawyer responded negatively. Consequently, the election commission scheduled a hearing for December 12. Outside the ECP, a crowd had gathered during the hearing, protesting what they deemed as ‘fake elections.’