ECP issues notice to PTI on Babar’s plea against intra-party polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued notice to PTI in response to the party’s founding member Akbar S. Babar’s appeal challenging intra-party elections of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, ARY News reported.

Eleven petitioners, including PTI’s founding member Akbar S. Babar had challenged the party’s intra-party elections.

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A five-member ECP bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard pleas. ECP Secretary Umar Hameed Khan, petitioners, and other concerned parties appeared before the commission.

During the hearing today, Babar’s lawyer also showed the video of intra-party elections to the ECP and submitted it to the commission.

ECP member insisted that elections could not be conducted multiple times, emphasising that they were bound to occur only once.

The ECP, however, issued notice to PTI and adjourned the hearing till December 12 (Tuesday).

It is to be mentioned here that the PTI’s founding member Akbar S Babar had termed the intra-party elections as drama. In a video statement, he said that the PTI has put the party and the election symbol of ‘bat’ on stake.

He suggested the constitution of an intra-party election commission, setting aside the election.

Read more: ECP orders PTI to hold intra-party elections within 20 days

In a press conference earlier, Akbar S Babar had declared the party election as fraud saying that he had reservations about the intra-party election.

It is to be mentioned here that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was elected unopposed as PTI’s new chairman, replacing incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan.

PTI intra-party polls were held last Saturday on orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan. Voters exercised their right to vote through an online app.

According to PTI election commissioner Niazullah Niazi, former federal minister Omar Ayub Khan had been elected secretary general of the party while jailed former provincial health minister Yasmin Rashid has been elected PTI Punjab president.