ECP reserves verdict over PML-Q intra-party election

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday reserved its verdict over the issue of removing Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from the party’s top office and the intra-party election, ARY News reported.

Earlier, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s counsel sought rejection of the petition of Chaudhry Shujaat. He argued that “the intra-party election is an internal matter of the party, the election commission prevented us from the party election and we complied the order”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had filed an application with the ECP to stop the intra-party elections.

Barrister Umar Aslam in his argument before the ECP said Kamil Ali Agha, who is PML-Q Punjab secretary-general, chaired the party’s huddle illegally and announced intra-party elections.

As per rules, the provincial office-bearer of any political party does not enjoy such right over the party’s chief and central secretary-general.

He stated that the intra-party elections were scheduled for August 10 without the permission of the party president and secretary general.

The ECP after hearing arguments from the PML-Q lawyer had suspended intra-party elections of PML-Q and retained Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain as the party chief and Tariq Bashir Cheema as secretary-general.

The party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) had met with Agha in the chair. Later, addressing the media, Agha said that they had “unanimously decided to remove Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain from the party president’s position because his health condition has badly affected his decision power”.

“We will accept any decision, in favour or against, from the election commission,” Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Chaudhry Shafay Hussain talking to media along with Barrister Umar said after the ECP hearing.

Barrister Umar said that the election commission has heard the stance of both sides in detail, we accept justice over the matter.