ECP rejects Akbar S Babar’s plea for reconducting PTI intra-party polls

The Election Commission of Pakistan has rejected Akbar S. Babar’s request for the reconduct of the intra-party elections of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A five-member ECP bench under the head of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard a set of petitions filed by PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar, Tahir Nawaz, Noreen Farooq and others challenging the recently held intra-party polls of the Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Secretary Election Commission Umar Hameed Khan, 14 petitioners and others appeared before the commission.

During the case proceedings, the bench remarked that Section 215 of the Election Act is very clear about it.

While rejecting petitioner Babar’s plea, the commission said forget about the reconduct of the PTI intra-party elections.

While issuing notice to the PTI for December 12, the commission adjourned the case hearing.

Today’s proceedings

Petitioner Akbar S. Babar's lawyer Ali Hassan argued that the PTI Election Commission was formed two days before the elections, no voter list was made and elections were held two days later.

ECP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member inquired what is written in the Article 5 of the PTI Constitution? Babar’s lawyer said that it means to conduct the election in a closed room.

The ECP member told the lawyer off asking him not to cut jokes here.

The lawyer requested the commission to suspend the newly-elected members of the PTI.

Babar’s lawyer said that when we went to the party’s central secretariat, no one cooperated there, we have video evidence that they went to collect the nomination papers, no one knew anything, the nomination papers were not received, and neither scrutiny nor the final list was found.

The Election Commission rejected the lawyer’s request to re-hold the PTI intra-party elections. ECP Member Karamullah said Section 215 of Election Act is clear, forget re-election.

During the hearing, the lawyer of the petitioner, Raja Tahir Nawaz Abbasi, also appeared before the Election Commission and took a stand that under the constitution, everyone should have the opportunity to participate in the election. Intra-party elections were held at an unknown place in Peshawar. Some people who are in jail, they submitted their nomination papers. The people in jail and absconders have been elected as office-bearers of the party.

Lawyer Raja Tahir Nawaz pleaded that the entire election process was fake, this election should be declared null and void.

The Chief Election Commissioner inquired whether there was any written complaint to the party, to which Babar’s lawyer said no, we did not make any written complaint. Their papers have arrived and the commission should look into them.

On this occasion, the video of Babar going to the PTI Central Secretariat was also played in front of the Election Commission. The lawyer said that they are ready to provide the mobiles from which they made videos for forensics.

The lawyer said that the Election Commission had admitted the videos as evidence in the past. We are ready to give an affidavit in this regard. Do not recognize the fraudulent intra-party elections of December 2. On December 2, Tehreek-e-Insaf violated the Election Commission's order. The Election Commission should again conduct intra-party elections of PTI under its supervision.

Petitioner Raja Hamid Zaman said Tehreek-e-Insaf had insulted the Election Commission by holding fake elections. The commission should initiate contempt proceedings against the PTI and take back the party’s election symbol.

After hearing arguments, the Election Commission issued a notice to Tehreek-e-Insaf on the petitions of Akbar S. Babar and others against the intra-party elections and adjourned further hearing till December 12.

It was not a party election, but a game was played: Babar

Meanwhile, talking to the media outside the ECP, Akbar S. Babar said that a game was played in the garb of democracy.

He said one person asked people to make him prime minister for the fourth time. He said people say that the PTI is going through a hard time.  

He lamented that laws are not implemented in Pakistan.

Taking a dig at the former PTI chairman Imran Khan, he said the ex-PM used to say that he would make them weep, but now he himself is facing trouble.

PTI workers stage protest

Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest demonstration against PTI intraparty elections on the occasion of hearing of case in Election Commission of Pakistan at outside of ECP.

The protesters carrying placards in their hands raised slogans against fake elections.

Police force was deployed in view of the protest.

Reporter Usman Khan