Change of election tribunal: ECP fixes pleas for final arguments on 9th

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed for final arguments on October 9 the case of transfer of three local NA constituencies to another election tribunal.

According to the cause list, loaded on the ECP website, the commission bench would resume hearing for submission of PTI’s reply to the three petitions, filed by PMLN legislators for case transfer, and for final arguments. PTI’s senior lawyer Shoaib Shaheen could not submit reply to the rivals’ petitions on Friday, as the three-member ECP bench, headed by Sindh Member Nisar Ahmad Durrani, conducted hearing here.

Counsel for PMLN lawmakers Anjum Aqeel, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Khurram Nawaz and assistant of Shoaib Shaheen appeared before the forum while none appeared on behalf of Ali Bukhari and Aamir Mughal, the two other PTI-backed candidates from Islamabad besides Shoaib Shaheen. The assistant lawyer told the commission that he had walked 6 kilometres to reach the ECP Secretariat, as there were barriers everywhere.

To this, the lawyer for Anjum Aqeel said today Aamir Mughal was supposed to submit a reply to their supplementary application, but he did not come. Likewise, the lawyer for Tariq Fazal also said that they had submitted a supplementary application, and the respondent was to submit a reply to it.

The assistant lawyer told the bench that there was a curfew outside; no one could come inside, how could Shoaib Shaheen come in? In reaction, Khurram Nawaz’s lawyer said they had arrived and braved difficulties on the way. The ECP member said that Shoaib Shaheen should have submitted the reply and given a copy to the petitioners. To everyone’s surprise, the assistant counsel said in a loud voice before the commission that he would submit the reply before the next hearing.

“If you do not submit the reply at the next hearing, your right will be terminated; sometimes you bring one lawyer and sometimes another one,” remarked the bench and cautioned Shoaib Shaheen’s assistant lawyer.

The ECP member advised him, “You should speak in a low voice… speak in a decent way and observe sanctity. You should not present yourself here as a party worker but as a lawyer. You should improve your attitude; otherwise, you will have a lot of troubles in future.” The hearing was adjourned till October 9 amid heightened security in view of the PTI’s planned protest at D-Chowk.