PTI to challenge postponement of by-elections by ECP

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to challenge the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone by-elections across the country, ARY News reported on Thursday.

PTI Vice-President Shah Mahmood Qureshi made a telephonic conversation with legal expert Babar Awan in which they discussed the legal options to challenge the postponement of the by-elections by the ECP.

Babar Awan said that there was no emergency situation in Multan nor it was declared calamity-hit by the concerned authorities. He added that the PTI chief Imran Khan was not indicted in the contempt case as yet and he will be indicted on September 22.

Awan said that his stance was still unchanged which was adopted by the amicus curiae. He said that the contempt of court law has ended across the globe, whereas, more than 21 cases were lodged against Imran Khan.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the scheduled by-elections in 13 constitutions.

The decision was taken by the ECP in a high-level session chaired by chief election commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja regarding the organisation of by-elections.

It has been decided that the by-polls scheduled for September 11, September 25 and October 2 will be postponed and the new dates will be announced soon.

The election commission said that the by-poll was deferred due to the devastating rains and floods.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP had scheduled by-polls in three constituencies of Karachi on September 25, whereas, the commission deferred the local government (LG) polls scheduled for August 28 on the report of the Sindh government.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be contesting on all NA seats including three in Karachi which fell vacant after resignations of the PTI MNAs were accepted by the Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.