Allotment of symbol ‘bat’ to PTI: ECP reserves verdict on petition’s maintainability

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday conducted preliminary hearing on a petition seeking withdrawal of election symbol ‘bat’ allotted to the PTI.

Petitioner Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Aun Chaudhry’s lawyer contended that ‘bat’ should not be allotted to the PTI.

The chief election commissioner told him the PTI had already been allotted ‘bat’ as a symbol.

The lawyer retorted that it was previously granted, but ‘bat’ should not be allotted to the party in the upcoming general election.

The lawyer was reminded that a case related to the allotment of symbol was already pending with the Election Commission. In response, the lawyer requested for clubbing his petition with the already filed petition. The bench reserved its verdict.

A full bench conducted preliminary hearing in a petition seeking removal of Imran Khan as the PTI chairman.

Petitioner Khalid Mahmood’s lawyer contended that following Imran’s conviction in Toshakhana case, he should be removed from the party’s top post.

In this connection, he referred to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s conviction by the Supreme Court.

The bench asked what was relevant to this in the Elections Act. The lawyer replied that the relevant clause was present in the Political Parties Order. He noted that this provision did not exist in the Elections Act.

The Election Commission asked what will happen if the PTI chairman’s appeal was accepted by the High Court. “If the appeal is accepted, the PTI chairman will return to the post,” the lawyer contended.

The CEC asked him about the difference between the cases against Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan.

The lawyer said Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court, whereas the Election Commission and trial court issued judgments against the PTI chairman.

At this, the bench reserved its verdict in relation to the maintainability of the petition.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, held preliminary hearing on a fresh foreign funding petition against the PTI.

The commission gave three weeks till Nov 1 to the petitioner, Khalid Mahmood, to collect evidence in support of his claim that PTI was still collecting prohibited foreign funds.

The petitioner’s lawyer argued that PTI was still receiving funding from foreign institutions to which the chief election commissioner asked the petitioner if he had any evidence in support of his claim.

The lawyer requested for grant of time to collect evidence and said the commission could order an inquiry on its own. “At your desire, the inquiry cannot be conducted,” the chief election commissioner remarked.

The bench also heard a petition filed by Azizuddin Kakakhel, seeking removal of some caretaker federal cabinet members and principal secretary to the PM, caretaker federal minister Fawad Hassan Fawad and Adviser Ahad Cheema. The petitioner contended that the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Tauqeer Shah was secretary to the former prime minister and he was given the post after he had retired. The chief election commissioner observed that the people in question had held important positions in the past and their services might still be needed. “God forbid, if he dies today, will there be no other servant?” the petitioner asked. “It is not necessary that those in the previous government should not be neutral,” maintained the chief election commissioner. The bench reserved its verdict whether or not the petition was maintainable. The bench also took up the matter related to the transfer of CDA members, Ministry of Interior and the Establishment Division and was informed that the Election Commission’s orders had been implemented. A compliance report was also submitted to the commission. The Election Commission disposed of the matter.