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Tag: ECP

  • ECP decides to indict Imran, Fawad and Asad in contempt case

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday decided to indict former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and former finance minister Asad Umar in a contempt case.


    As per ECP’s verdict, the three political leaders would be indicted on July 11, with the body ordering them to appear before the panel in personal capacity.
    Nisar Durrani, a member of the ECP from Sindh, presided over the four-person commission that heard the contempt case and announced its reserved verdict regarding the PTI’s objections.

    The ECP last year issued contempt notices, in exercise of its powers of contempt, against PTI chief Imran Khan and party leaders for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and ECP. The electoral body asked them to appear in person or through their counsels before the commission to explain their position.

    PTI leaders, instead of appearing, challenged the verdict in various high courts, before The Supreme Court (SC) in January this year, allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to continue its proceedings against the PTI leaders.

  • Senate passes amendment limiting disqualification to maximum of 5 years

    Senate passes amendment limiting disqualification to maximum of 5 years

    A bill seeking amendments to the Elections Act 2017 was passed by the Senate on Friday. As per the amendment, in cases where the duration of disqualification has not been specifically outlined, a person’s disqualification to run for provincial or central legislatures will not exceed five years.

    Any individual who is disqualified by a court ruling shall be excluded for a maximum of five years from the day the judgment is made public. The period of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) cannot exceed five years.

    The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023 was moved by State Minister Shahadat Awan .

    Another key amendment brought forth by the bill is the revision of 57(1) and 58(1)57(1) and 58(1) of the Election Act. The amendments give power to the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce election dates on its own.

    The amendments are as follow:

    Section 57(1): The commission shall announce the date or dates of the general elections by notification in the official gazette and shall call upon the constituencies to elect their representatives.


    Section 58: Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 57, the commission may at any time after the issuance of notification under subsection (1) of that section make such alterations in the election programme announced in that notification for the different stages of the election or may issue a fresh election programme with fresh poll date(s) as may in its opinion to be recorded in writing be necessary for the purposes of this act.

  • Imran Khan given notice to pay Rs1.4 million luxury tax on Zaman Park home

    Imran Khan given notice to pay Rs1.4 million luxury tax on Zaman Park home

    Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has been sent a notice by the Excise and Taxation Department to pay Rs1.4 million as luxury tax on his Zaman Park residence.

    The last date for paying the tax is Monday, however, the department will serve another notice in case the amount is not paid.

    Imran Khan, who owns the house along with his four sisters, has reportedly received the notice.

    In April, the former Prime Minister was served a notice demanding clearing of Rs3.6 million in luxury tax arrears. In case the notice is not paid, the department reserves the right to approach Election Commission of Pakistan.

  • Boycott? PML-N decides not to give tickets for Punjab election

    Boycott? PML-N decides not to give tickets for Punjab election

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided not to issue tickets to any candidate for the general elections in Punjab.

    According to news reports, PML-N leadership has decided that the nomination papers of the party candidates will not be withdrawn for now. The party will give tickets after the Supreme Court gives its verdict. For now, it has been decided not to issue party tickets till the court decision is announced.

    It is also reported that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will decide whether his party will participate in the upcoming elections or not.

    In the light of the court decision, there is a possibility of calling an important consultative meeting after Eid ul Fitr.

    According to the election schedule, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has to allot party symbols to the candidates today.

  • SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    The Supreme Court (SC) will shortly hear a plea by the defence ministry to hold elections across Pakistan simultaneously.

    A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, comprising of Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, will take up the plea shortly.

    A day earlier, the ministry requested the apex court to withdraw the order for upcoming elections due to the fear of terrorist attacks on political campaigns.

    The ministry has submitted a sealed petition in the SC, requesting that the elections be held simultaneously across the country after the completion of the term of the National, Balochistan, and Sindh assemblies.

    It may be noted that this is the same bench that announced the April 4 verdict directing the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold snap polls in Punjab on May 14.

  • Imran Khan asked to pay Rs36 lac luxury house tax

    Punjab Excise and Taxation Department sent a notice on Thursday to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, asking him to pay luxury tax on his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

    The notice said, “The Government of Punjab has levied Luxury House Tax on houses with land areas of two kanals.”

    He was asked to clear arrears under luxury tax amounting to Rs3.6 million.

    The notice was addressed to his late mother Shaukat Khanum.

    Furthermore, the department has warned that if the dues are not cleared within a week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will be approached in this regard.

    The notice has been sent as the date for Punjab elections, May 14, looms nearer.

  • Cabinet approves bill seeking parliament validation for election funds

    Cabinet approves bill seeking parliament validation for election funds

    The federal cabinet on Monday approved a summary prepared by the Ministry of Finance seeking to release funds for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 as ordered by the Supreme Court, which will now be forwarded to the parliament.

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the bill before parliament today.

    Earlier today, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, decided to send the matter to the parliament, observing that the Lower House was supreme and whatever decision it would make, would be acceptable.

    On Sunday the cabinet decided to refer to parliament the issue of the release of funds to the ECP for holding elections in Punjab.

    The cabinet asked Dar to prepare a summary for the guidance of the Parliament.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the SC has ordered that federal government to release Rs21 billion by April 10 for holding polls in Punjab.

  • PTI approaches Supreme Court to hold elections in KP within 90 days

    PTI approaches Supreme Court to hold elections in KP within 90 days

    After Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict to hold Punjab polls on May 14, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has approached the top court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within the 90-day period since the assembly’s dissolution.

    The former ruling party has requested the apex court to set aside KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali’s notification to postpone the elections by five months and direct the ECP to conduct the polls “not later than 90 days subject to the barest minimum to that timeframe”.

    The PTI has argued that the “ECP has no jurisdiction or power to amend the Constitution” and hold elections beyond the constitutional period of 90 days. The electoral body also has “no power or jurisdiction to overrule or review” the Supreme Court’s verdict, the petition argues.

    On the matter of the KP Governor citing security concerns as the reason behind the delay, the PTI has stated in its petition that the “Constitution of Pakistan does not recognise any such illegal excuses” like “so-called financial constraints or a perceived law and order situation or lack of availability of adequate personnel”.

    After the ECP issued a delay notification for Punjab Assembly, Governor Ali also proposed October 8 for polls in KP.

  • ECP announces polls in Punjab on May 14, issues schedule

    ECP announces polls in Punjab on May 14, issues schedule

    The Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) on Wednesday announced that polls in Punjab will be held on May 14 as directed by the Supreme Court.

    As per the revised schedule, the process will start from appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers which can be filed by April 10, while the appellate tribunal will decide the appeals by April 17.

    Revised lists of candidates for each constituency will be published on April 18, while candidates can withdraw their nominations by April 19.

    Election symbols will be allotted on April 20, while polling will be held on May 14.

  • ‘Charge sheet against three-member bench’: Nawaz asks parliament to file reference against SC judges

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, urged the parliament to file a reference of misconduct against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar following the recent Punjab polls verdict which he claims has “virtually disabled” the legislature and made it “redundant.”

    Calling the verdict a reflection of a “one-man show” in the judiciary, Nawaz argued that one individual should not be allowed to hold multiple functions, such as the prime minister, defence minister, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and above all, parliament.

    Nawaz said the verdict aimed to benefit one pampered person [Imran Khan] while immobilising the state.

    “This is a pity,” Nawaz said, adding: “This is the result of over 70 years of mismanagement and corruption in our political system. It is time for us to re-evaluate the way we run our country.”

    “It is a symptom of the larger problem plaguing our political system,” he stated.

    “For over 70 years, we have witnessed mismanagement and corruption that has eroded the trust of the people in their government. Punjab was earlier handed over to the PTI chief by declaring the MPAs disqualified and denying them the right to vote in the chief minister election.”

    Questioning the rejection of the demand to constitute a full court, Nawaz said, “What was the hurdle behind forming a full-court bench? This decision is a charge sheet against you. Why this insistence on a three-member bench? Daal mein kuch kaala hai, this decision could only have come from this bench.”

    The former prime minister also questioned why a suo moto notice was not taken in his case, stressing that the decision against him was incorrect and should have been reviewed by a constituted bench.

    Talking about how Nawaz was labelled “godfather” and part of the “Sicilian mafia” when he was the prime minister, he recalled an incident where Justice Azmat Saeed remarked in a case about the promotion of a government official that ‘the PM should know there is plenty of room in Adiala jail’.

    He appealed that the nation should wake up as certain people “are destroying Pakistan”.