ECP reacts to SC's dismissal of its plea in reserved seats case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reacted to the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s clarification in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reserved seats case, ARY News reported citing sources.

The ECP maintained that the impression that Barrister Gohar Khan has been recognised as the chairman of PTI is incorrect. “PTI’s intra-party election issue is still being heard and no final decision has been made,” the sources added quoting the ECP.

The ECP maintained that it always tried to resolve the matter promptly, but the PTI repeatedly used ‘delaying tactics’.

Earlier on Saturday, the SC dismissed the ECP’s plea seeking its guidance on the verdict in the PTI reserved seats, ruling it as ‘dilatory tactics”.

Eight judges who gave a majority verdict included Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan issued the clarification.

“Putting together the record placed before us [top court], and considering the same in light of the short order, leaves in little doubt that the clarification sought by the commission is nothing more than a contrived device and adoption of dilatory tactics,” the eight judges ruled in the order.

“Having itself recognised Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as the chairman of PTI, the commission cannot now turn around and purport to seek guidance from the court with regard to how the certifications are to be dealt with. The commission cannot approbate and reprobate, taking whatever [shifting] stance as it desires and as may seem to suit its immediate purposes for the moment,” the order read.