ECP adjourns hearing on Imran’s role in PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing concerning the removal of Imran Khan’s name as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman from the records till December 5.

The four-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, continued hearing Khalid Mehmood Khan’s case. The counsel representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) requested an extension until next week to submit the response as a copy of the petition had not been provided, the official news agency reported.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja stated that as per the ECP records, a copy had been furnished to the PTI.

The case’s hearing is postponed until Wednesday, but the lawyer urged for a further adjournment to next week, citing their engagement in intra-party elections.

The Election Commission member questioned the procedure for inter-party matters. Subsequently, the lawyer was instructed by the Election Commission to submit the power of attorney.

Petitioner Khalid Mehmood Khan has submitted a plea seeking the removal of Imran Khan as the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The argument put forth is that the PTI chairman, having been penalised in the Toshakhana case, should be ousted from the role.

Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan ruled that the PTI intra-party polls lacked transparency, directing the party to conduct new elections if it wanted to keep its ‘bat’ symbol.

A four-member bench, headed by Nisar Ahmed Durrani and comprising Shah Mohammad Jatoi, Babar Hussain Bharwana, and Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan, issued a reserved judgment instructing PTI to conduct new elections within 20 days. This verdict was declared on Thursday.

In the ruling, the ECP stated that PTI failed to conduct unbiased intra-party elections effectively, pointing to objections and controversy associated with the polls.

In the ruling, the ECP mentioned that PTI did not successfully organise impartial intra-party elections, noting objections and controversy surrounding the polls.