In a major legal victory for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Peshawar High Court (PHC) temporarily halted the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) directives and restored the iconic party symbol ‘bat’.
The PHC also stated while announcing the verdict that a double bench will hear the matter after winter vacations.
PHC judge, Kamran Hayat Miankhel, said the election symbol can’t be revoked after the release of the election schedule.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition in Peshawar High Court (PHC) to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order declaring intra-party polls illegal and revoking its electoral symbol, the cricket bat.
Justice Kamran Hayat Miankel of the PHC will hear the petition filed by PTI today after the party requested an urgent hearing in court.
According to the petition filed by PTI, the ECP has no authority to decide about the intra-party elections, adding that the complainant who challenged intra-party polls is not a member of the party.
“The ECP withdrew the electoral symbol ‘bat’,” it read asking the court to form a bench comprising senior judges and hear the plea on Tuesday (today).
In discussing the recent decision, the chairman of the PTI, Gohar Khan, strongly criticised the ECP but expressed optimism that courts will support the request for its reinstatement.
The Hum Awam Pakistan Party (HAPP) has requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to allot it the cricket bat as its electoral symbol.
The party’s petition earnestly requested that the election symbol of the bat be allocated to the Hum Awam Pakistan Party, advocating for fairness and representation.
The chairman of Hum Awam Pakistan Party, Muhammad Amjad Chaudhry, filed the petition.
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Ahmer Zaman Khan, who is additional secretary general said, “Our election symbol was ‘lock’ but it was withdrawn for not submitting returns. Now the Election Commission is requested to allot us the election symbol of the bat,” he pleaded.
The party had written to ECP on December 11, 2023, too for allotment of Bat symbol.
“We have this right to request for the very symbol under the Constitution and accordingly we have requested the Election Commission and we have full faith in it,” Khan added.
Recently, the Election Commission canceled the registration of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) and also withdrew the election symbol Eagle, which was allotted to it. Now, the symbol has been allotted to the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party.
What is the Hum Awam Pakistan Party?
The Facebook page of this party was created on June 6, 2020. Currently, the Facebook page has 1800 followers. Interestingly, the pages followed by this party’s page include DG ISPR and ISPR along with Malik Riaz and Sami Ibraheem.
The About section of this Facebook page has a website link to the party but http://humawampakistan.com/ is not accessible as of the time this article is being published.
In September 2020, the party organized a protest outside the Karachi Press Club and demanded that an independent, nonpolitical administrative setup, comprising the people of Karachi should handle all the administrative matters of the city instead of the political framework and it should be under the supervision of Pakistan’s Army.
In August 2020, a constitutional petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan by this party that sought direction from the prime minister to enable the holding of a referendum regarding the establishment of a presidential form of government in Pakistan.
The petition was filed by Tahir Aziz Khan, chairman of the political party Hum Awam Pakistan, under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution. One of the main objectives of the lesser-known political party was to establish a presidential form of government in the country.
The petition was rejected as the registrar’s office objected that the petitioner had not pointed out the question of public importance in this case.
“The petitioner did not approach any other forum available to him under the law for the same relief,” the SC office further said. “Petitioner did not justify invoking of extraordinary jurisdiction of this court under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution”
The current chairman of this party, Muhammad Amjad Chaudhry, is also the founder of the All Pakistan Customs Agents Association and was given an award on January 27, 2021, by Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on Customs Day.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) unveiled a revised list on Sunday, featuring 175 officially registered political parties that reflect the diverse landscape of the country’s political arena.
The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, is no longer listed as the leader of the party in the updated list, indicating that PTI is now considered a political entity without a designated leader.
However, the list now includes the group headed by Pervez Khattak, identified as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).
An important development took place earlier in the week when the party led by Khan lost its electoral symbol, the “bat”, as a result of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) releasing the reserved verdict on the party’s internal elections.
After hearing arguments from all concerned parties, the ECP initially reserved its decision.
Following this, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, leading a five-member bench of the electoral authority, announced the invalidation of the PTI’s intra-party elections.
After ECP’s verdict, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who took over as PTI chairman after Imran Khan, will no longer serve as the party’s leader.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released its verdict in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections on Friday, declaring that the party will not be given the cricketing ‘bat’ symbol it has contested previous elections with.
The verdict comes right after a delegation from PTI said that it had been assured by the ECP of a level playing field after the Supreme Court of Pakistan asked the two to hold a meeting.
The order stated, “So keeping in view, the clear mandate of Elections Act, 2017 read with PTI constitution 2019, and for reasons mentioned hereinabove, it is held that PTI has not complied with our directions rendered therein order dated 23rd November, 2023 and failed to hold intra-party election in accordance with PTI prevailing Constitution, 2019 and Election Act, 2017, and Election Rules, 2017. Therefore, the certificate dated 4″ December. 2023 and Form-65 filed by the alleged Chairman, is hereby regretted and rejected accordingly. The provisions of Section 215 of the Election Act, 2017 are hereby invoked and PTI is hereby declared ineligible to obtain, the Election Symbol, for which they have applied for.”
Order regarding PTI intra party election and ineligibility to obtain symbol bathttps://t.co/CCJKFHr1Fw
PTI held intra-party polls on December 2, with Barrister Gohar Khan taking the Chairman’s seat after approval from party founder Imran Khan. The results of the polls were contested by founding member Akbar S. Babar, who moved the ECP against what he termed “fraudulent” elections.
ECP had sought a reply from PTI on the polls violating the party constitution. The party itself meanwhile turned to Peshawar High Court in a bid to defuse what it termed as discrimination by ECP.
Nayyab Ali, a transgender person from the federal capital city of Islamabad, and Sobia Khan, a transgender individual from Peshawar, are all set to contest in the upcoming general elections.
Nayyab Ali, a resident of the federal capital city of Islamabad, has submitted nomination papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to contest the upcoming general elections from National Assembly Constituency 47. Nayab is the second transgender individual to submit nomination papers for the 2024 elections so far.
Nayyab took to X (former Twitter) and worte, “Just arrived at the returning office to submit my nomination papers for NA46 & NA47 as a candidate for the National Assembly. Proud to represent the trans community as the sole candidate thus far. Grateful for the warm welcome from the community!”
Just arrived at the returning office to submit my nomination papers for NA46 & NA47 as a candidate for the National Assembly. Proud to represent the trans community as the sole candidate thus far. Grateful for the warm welcome from the community! pic.twitter.com/264j2t4kkZ
Her supporter were chnting, “Aap ka na Janaab Ka, Vote Hai Nayyab ka.”
Peshawar native Sobia Khan, has filed nomination papers for a provincial assembly seat in constituency PK-81. The upcoming polls are scheduled to be held on February 8 next year.
Sobia Khan was also the first transgender person to be elected as a jirga member of the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) in March 2021.
Running as an independent candidate, Sobia Khan aims to be a voice for the transgender community, women, and children, advocating for their rights if she secures victory in the elections. With a Bachelor’s degree to her name, Sobia holds the distinction of being the first transgender radio jockey in the province.
She said that not only her family but also the people of the area are supporting her. Sobia said that she would request NGOs and social welfare to support her election campaign.
She will also ask the district administration to provide security to her during this time as it has happened for the first time that a transgender is directly participating in the elections.
Sobia Khan said that she will conduct a door-to-door election campaign in the area and will also meet the women of the area to support her. She also praised Assistant Commissioner Syed Ahsan Ali Shah who encouraged her a lot while submitting nomination papers.
Sobia Khan said that because there was no separate seat for transgenders, she submitted the papers for the general seat. It should be remembered that Sobia Khan belongs to Peshawar district. She holds a BA and also holds the distinction of being the first transgender broadcaster of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The general elections are set for February 8 next year across the country, following the Supreme Court’s directives.
It is pertinent to mention that in the 2018 elections, Maria, the lone transgender candidate from KP, secured 536 votes as an independent candidate, surpassing the votes of many women candidates.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released a list of political parties after the issuance of the election schedule, as per The News on Thursday. The list comprises of 175 political parties that are going to take part in the upcoming general election, set to take place on February 8 next year.
According to the list, former Prime Minister Imran Khan is still the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), despite the fact that Barrister Gohar Khan was recently elected as chairman of PTI.
The issue of PTI’s intra-party election conducted on December 2, 2023, remains undecided, as the ECP reserved its judgement after hearings.
Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is the head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari leads the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). On the other hand, former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is a chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Similarly, Khalid Maqbool Siddique is the head of Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P), and Abdul Aleem Khan is the president of a newly formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
Hassaan Niazi, prominent leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, has officially declared his intention to participate in the upcoming general elections.
The decision was revealed as his mother filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, seeking approval for his nomination papers.
The petition argued that, with the Election Commission having announced the election schedule, Hassan Niazi remains eligible, having neither faced disqualification nor conviction; he is presently in custody.
The legal plea urged the court to grant permission for the completion of Hassan Niazi’s nomination paper for the submission process.
It further proposes a meeting between the court commissioner and Hassan Niazi to facilitate the verification or rejection of the nomination papers.
The move sets the stage for a potentially dynamic political scenario, with Hassan Niazi’s candidacy poised to shape the unfolding electoral landscape.
The Case
A Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted the police two-day transit remand of the focal person of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, Hassaan Niazi.
The police had produced Niazi in the court seeking his transit remand to take him to Karachi, where he is wanted in connection with sedition charges registered against him.
The case against Niazi was registered on the complaint of a citizen named Muhammad Iqbal at the Jamshaid Quarters police station.
According to the first information report (FIR), Niazi was involved in inciting people to revolt against national institutions and attempting to provoke disharmony in a video on social media.
The statement had allegedly created anger and distress among the masses.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued that Niazi’s presence was required in Karachi for further legal proceedings.
Therefore, the court approved the request for a two-day transit remand, allowing the police to take Niazi to Karachi for progress in the case.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start receiving nomination papers from expected candidates tomorrow as the upcoming general elections are set to take place on February 8 next year in the country, The News has reported.
District Retuning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) will take oaths today as per the Election Act of 2017. After that, the process of receiving nomination papers will start.
A day earlier, at least 859 ROs completed their training for the upcoming polls while 144 DROs will complete their training today. The training of DROs and ROs was halted on December 14 after the stay order of Lahore High Court (LHC) on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition against the appointment of officers.
However, the Supreme Court (SC) suspended the LHC order and directed the ECP to release the election schedule as well as restore the training of DROs and ROs.
Candidates who want to take part in the upcoming general elections can submit their nomination papers to their respective ROs from December 20 to December 22.
After the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) suspended a Lahore High Court (LHC) order staying the appointment of Returning Officers (ROs) from the executive branch, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the much-awaited election schedule on Friday night, affirming that general polls in Pakistan are set to take place on February 8 next year.
ECP will now resume training ROs and District Returning Officers (DROs).
The election programme extends to reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly (NA) as well as the four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
The election schedule was released late at night in accordance with the directives of the SC.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) stayed the notification of the appointment of DROs and ROs from the bureaucracy and halted their training.
The LHC announced its judgement in response to a petition submitted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has confessed that it was a misstep to secure a stay order from the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on appointing District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) from the bureaucracy for upcoming general elections.
PTI senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said while speaking on Geo News’ ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ that PTI can approach LHC to request the removal of the stay order against the appointment of DROs and ROs for the forthcoming election set to take place on February 8, next year.
“The PTI may withdraw the stay order to speed up the case hearing on merits to decide the fate of the appointment of DROs and ROs,” he remarked.
The senator also said that the impression and criticism that PTI’s petition is delaying polls seems correct.
However, the PTI leader also stated that the party’s stance on filing the petition against the appointment of officers from bureaucracy is right.
“Even though we want elections to be held by judicial officers and the ECP probably wants them to be conducted by bureaucracy, whatever the results are, we should accept them as it is the mandate of the masses,” he said.
