PTI challenges ECP by-election schedule

By Awais Yousafzai

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenged on Saturday the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) schedule for by-elections on nine National Assembly seats.

PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry filed a miscellaneous application with the Islamabad High Court (IHC), requesting the high court to suspend the election schedule. According to the application, a petition is currently pending against the acceptance of nine PTI leaders’ resignations in a phased manner. The court heard the application on August 4 and issued a notice, the application stated, adding that the schedule was issued despite the ECP being aware of the notice.

The plea further called for the ECP’s schedule, issued on August 5, to be suspended. Moreover, the party requested that till a decision is reached in the PTI’s main case, the election schedule should remain suspended.

Earlier, the IHC on Friday served notices to respondents in a petition of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf against action of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in line with the foreign funding scam. Acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by the employees of PTI Central Secretariat, including Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Rafiq and Tahir Iqbal.

Petitioner’s lawyer Shah Khawar, Advocate, adopted the stance that FIA had served notices on the employees of PTI Secretariat, adding that actions were based on dishonesty. He said that the staff were also summoned by FIA officials through phone calls to harass them.

The lawyer further said that the PTI employees were unaware about any sort of inquiry initiated by the FIA.

He prayed the court to terminate the notices of FIA and declare it as illegal. The court sought comments from respondents till August 10. The court also summoned FIA officials in person on next hearing..