Politics

Election 2024: SC to hear PTI chairman’s plea seeking level-playing field

Published

7 months ago

Farwa

PTI chairman filed petition under Article 184(3).
How can absconders contest elections, asks acting CJP
Law of jungle prevailing in country, claims PTI lawyer.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday fixed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea — seeking a level-playing field in the upcoming general elections — for hearing today, Geo News reported.

The development comes during the hearing of cipher case against former prime minister Imran Khan when a PTI lawyer raised the issue before a three-judge bench headed by interim Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood.

Lawyer Niazullah Niazi informed the court that PTI candidates are not allowed to file nomination papers.

To which, Justice Masood said the Registrar Office would fix the case for hearing today. “If your candidate is an absconder how can then he file the nomination paper,” he asked the PTI counsel.

At this Niazi shared that “Umair Niazi’s, who is present in the court, father’s nomination papers were torn apart. The Election Commission has also not announced the verdict regarding the election symbol.”

Later, the court formed a three-member bench comprising acting CJP, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah was to hear the case.

PTI petition

In its petition, the PTI alleged that the district authorities and provincial and federal governments were not treating it on a par with the other political parties.

Barrister Gohar Ali filed the petition in the apex court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution making the federation of Pakistan through its secretary, Ministry of Interior, ECP and chief secretaries of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh and Balochistan respondents.

He prayed to the apex court to direct the respondents to provide a level-playing field to the PTI for the purpose of free and fair elections, in the interest of justice.

He also prayed that respondents should be restrained from harassing the party workers and leaders and they should be allowed to participate in the election process without any discrimination.

The PTI chairman questioned as to whether the ECP was not under a constitutional duty to conduct free and fair elections and facilitate the largest and most popular political party in the country by providing a level-playing field for the purpose of free and fair elections.

Whether arresting, harassing and snatching of nomination forms, obtained from different returning officers, from workers and leaders of PTI was not illegal, unlawful and against the fundamental rights, guaranteed under the Constitution, the PTI chairman asked.

He also questioned as to whether the returning officers and the ECP were not under a legal obligation to give a free and fair environment and treat PTI on a par with other political parties.

He asked whether not providing a level-playing field to the PTI, and harassing, threatening and abducting party members and snatching nomination forms from them was not a serious threat to democracy.

Gohar informed the SC that he had approached the ECP by filing an application on Dec 19 for conducting free and fair elections while directing all authorities and parties concerned to act impartially and provide a level playing field.

Unfortunately, he added, the ECP remained passive and to date, no order for transparency and fairness of elections had been made, which was damaging the integrity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Feeling aggrieved, the petitioner also filed a writ petition before the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench, which was yet not fixed, the PTI chairman submitted.

He contended that the district management/ provincial and federal governments were not treating the PTI on a par with the other political parties.

He pointed out that even after the issuance of the schedule by the ECP, the PTI was not being allowed worker conventions, corner meetings or any such political gatherings, which were guaranteed to every other political party in Pakistan.

He submitted that December 20, 2023 was the first day for the submission of nomination forms, according to the schedule issued by the ECP, adding that different PTI workers and leaders obtained nomination forms from different returning officers but not only were those citizens arrested but in some cases the nomination forms were snatched from the party workers/leaders.

Latest News

Containers were used to seal the Red Zone before JI’s sit-in at D-Chowk.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Authorities in Islamabad have blocked off the Red Zone by erecting containers in front of today’s (Friday) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demonstration and the Jamaat-i-Islami sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad.

Jamaat-i-Islami is scheduled to stage a sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared a nationwide protest against the country’s soaring inflation and recent spike in electricity rates.

Containers have been used to block access to the Red Zone’s main crossroads, D Chowk, Nadra Chowk, and Sarina Chowk.

ISLAMABAD, PUNJAB SECTION 144

In the meantime, in response to PTI and JI plans for statewide rallies, the federal and Punjabi governments enforced Section 144 in Islamabad and Punjab. Section 144 will be in force from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28, per the notification that was released in this regard.

Rallies, sit-ins, protests, and rallies are prohibited from July 26 to July 28, according to a letter from the Home Department. It said that terrorists may find public gatherings to be an easy target and stated that the decision had been made with the threat of terrorism in mind.

In contrast, JI Secretary General Ameerul Azeem claimed in a statement that police had raided the residences of JI officials across the nation.

In an attempt to break up the protest, he said, police had targeted JI leaders and activists. He also alleged that multiple instances of police raids, arrests, and harassment of women had occurred in various towns.

GOVT ADVISED

The government was forewarned by Jamaat Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman earlier on Thursday that it would face consequences if the party was barred from accessing Islamabad for their scheduled demonstration against inflation and an increase in electricity prices.

He stated in a statement that their belief is in peaceful political protest as a means of securing public rights. “We are not afraid of arrests, and the Jamaat-e-Islami cannot be stopped,” he added.

“The historic sit-in on Friday, July 26, will represent 250 million people of Pakistan, and we will sit peacefully at D-Chowk.”

According to the JI, convoys are in route from all around the nation to participate in the sit-in. He encouraged the administration to offer a location for the protest, highlighting that it is their constitutional and democratic right to speak up for the country.

“Any political party that wishes to participate” was invited, and he welcomed them all.

Prior to the sit-in, police raided the residences of JI leaders and officials in many parts of Punjab and Rawalpindi, making multiple arrests.

Ameerul Azim, the central secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, was not able to be arrested during the police raid; instead, Shaukat Mahmood, his driver, was taken into custody.

Latest News

The Socioeconomic Registry of Punjab. Real data gathering is essential to effective governance. Maryam

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, announced that the province will introduce the “Apna Ghar Scheme,” adding that accurate data collecting is necessary in order to provide social security to the impoverished.

At the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry’s opening event in Lahore, the Maryam announced that the province’s government has started the “Roshan Gharana” project, which aims to provide 4.5 million individuals with solar panels on manageable installment plans.

Maryam Nawaz, who emphasized the necessity of centralized data, stated that data has become increasingly important in recent years since it makes basic amenities more accessible and aids in the classification of the poor.

She stated that several initiatives are being taken by the Punjabi government to assist those with disabilities.

The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is dedicated to providing relief to the poor, according to Senior Provincial Minister Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb, who spoke on the occasion.

The government, she noted, is concentrating on health and education services.

Latest News

The ECP asks the SC to clarify the ruling in the PTI reserved seat case.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Seeking clarity on a court ruling concerning the allotment of particular seats to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) moved the Supreme Court on Monday.

ECP members reportedly agreed unanimously on the SC’s decision to consult the SC.

Particularly cited under Paragraph 10 of the Supreme Court ruling, the ECP has called attention to vagueness in the ruling. In order to determine which body is in charge of party certificate issuance, the ECP is asking the Supreme Court for advice.

Concerning the validity of PTI’s party structure, the ECP pointed out that the organisation hasn’t held internal elections.

In the lack of distinct party organisation and intra-party elections, there is ambiguity over which certifications hold recognition.

Position of ECP

The absence of intra-party elections, according to ECP sources, prevents Tehreek-e-Insaaf from operating as a legitimate organisation.

A plea for clarification on party certificate authority and recognition has been made to the Supreme Court by the ECP.

Resolving the existing ambiguity and guaranteeing proper electoral processes will depend on the Supreme Court’s clarity on these issues.

Continue reading: ECP orders implementation of SC ruling regarding PTI reserved seats

Previous to this, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reserved seat verdict will be implemented, according to a Friday announcement made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of Pakistan.

On Friday, a meeting of ECP members was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

If the SC ruling is being carried out with any judicial decision becoming a roadblock, ECP has resolved to seek guidance from the judges in the room.

“The Supreme Court will be consulted for additional guidance in the event of any obstacles,” the ECP statement stated.

ECP declines resignation demand and political party criticism.

The chief election commissioner and members have been the target of persistent attack from a political party, which the highest electoral authority has sharply denounced. No political name was mentioned by the ECP.

The ECP called the demand for resignation from the party “absurd” and rejected the political party’s unjustified criticism, which had been made continuously.

Regardless of the pressure, the statement said, ECP would keep up its adherence to the law and the Constitution.