PTI did not get specific seats and party chief recognized, what is the solution?

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) initially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite the majority in the Senate Election Due to not doing so, the seats could not be found and now the name of the party leader could not be entered in the list of political parties issued by the Election Commission.

PTI has not yet been able to get the reserved seats on the order of the Supreme Court.

In all these circumstances, Tehreek-e-Insaaf has not recovered its electoral symbol and the party’s position in the Houses has not been restored.

But the question arises as to why Tehreek-e-Insaaf could not do the work it was supposed to do at the party level itself.

No concrete strategy could come out to strengthen their case constitutionally either.

Perhaps that is why PTI General Secretary Umar Ayub has issued a notification on Wednesday. In which the founding chairman Imran Khan On the instructions of Hamid Khan, the head of legal affairs has been removed and handed over to Salman Akram Raja.

The Supreme Court has not issued a detailed decision regarding specific seats. The government and the Election Commission have also filed revision appeals against this decision.

While the issue of intra-party election of Tehreek-e-Insaf is under hearing in the Election Commission.

In this regard, PTI Central Information Secretary Shoaib Shaheen says that ‘Our legal team is looking into all legal matters of the party. Together with the new head of the legal team, the team will soon develop a strategy for constitutionally functioning of the party as a political party.

According to the former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council Amjad Hussain Shah, ‘Tehreek-e-Insaf has not yet been able to submit a report to the Election Commission by holding an intra-party election as per its party constitution. Despite getting relief from the courts, she was not even able to get reserved seats. After the Election Amendment Act was passed by Parliament, more difficulties have arisen for PTI.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Gohar Ali Khan (centre), leader Umar Ayub Khan (second from left) and Ali Muhammad Khan (right) participate in a protest rally for the release of founding chairman Imran Khan in Peshawar on March 31, 2024 (Abdul Majeed/ AFP)

Why failed to restore PTI party position?

Lawyer Amjad Hussain Shah said in a conversation with Independent Urdu that ‘Every political party has its own constitution, according to which they have to conduct intra-party elections within a specified period and submit the list of officials on the condition of the Election Commission. In the constitution of the rest of the parties, election through the executive council, while the constitution of PTI mandates the election of officials through the general council.

“The Muslim League-N, People’s Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam or Jamaat-e-Islami Executive Council gather three hundred members and conduct party elections easily. While Tehreek-e-Insaaf claims that their number of registered members is several lakhs. So it is difficult for them to conduct the party election through the general council according to their constitution.

Amjad Shah said that the current officials are not serious in holding intra-party elections for Tehreek-e-Insaaf and restoring their position in the Election Commission. He conducted party elections three times, but conducted them according to the constitution of other parties, which the Election Commission cannot recognize. According to his party constitution, he held only one meeting in which Vijayauddin investigated the rigging.

Lawmaker Amjad Hussain Shah further said that, “Besides, the Tehreek-e-Insaf government in KP itself did not allow the Senate elections.” Despite their majority there, the seats in the Senate have not yet been secured. Inducted its independent members who won for certain seats into the Sunni Ittehad Council. Now the Parliament has passed amendments in the Election Act to stop the Supreme Court’s decision to include him again in Tehreek-e-Insaaf.

Speaking to Independent Urdu, Shoaib Shaheen said that ‘We conducted intra-party elections but the Election Commission did not recognize them and did not include the names of our newly elected party chief or other officials in the list. Even though the Supreme Court has given a decision, the specific seats are not being given to us.’

Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf protest against alleged rigging of general election results in Karachi on February 17, 2024 (Rizwan Tabasim/AFP)

New list of political parties

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday released a new updated list of registered political parties according to which 166 political parties are registered in the Election Commission.

The inter-party elections of PML-N have been recognized, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is the president of PML-N. Similarly, the Election Commission recognized Jamaat-e-Islami’s intra-party election and included the name of party chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman.

The Election Commission has updated the name of Mehmood Khan as Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarian. President Asif Ali Zardari’s name is included as President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s name is included as Chairman Pakistan People’s Party.

Apart from this, Isfandiar Wali Khan’s name is still there as the president of Awami National Party and Pak Sar Zameen Party is also included in the list of registered parties.

PTI’s legal strategy

According to Shoaib Shaheen, ‘Our legal team is preparing a strategy in which the Election Commission’s biased attitude towards PTI will be countered. Consultations are also underway to hold intra-party elections so that after fulfilling the legal requirements, we can restore our election mark. After conducting party elections in Peshawar, we submitted the report but the name of our leader was not included.

He said, “Earlier, on the order of the Supreme Court, our members also submitted affidavits, but we were not allotted specific seats.” We are also considering approaching the Supreme Court against these unconstitutional and biased behavior of the Election Commission.

According to Amjad Hussain Shah, PTI leaders can restore legal position within and outside their party only by removing legal objections. They have to change their party constitution or hold elections according to the same constitution.

He further said that ‘Apart from this, neither his sign can be restored nor the name of the party chief will be included. As far as specific seats are concerned, the Election Commission can provide an explanation by stating the reasons for not getting a detailed decision of the Supreme Court and the revision appeals against this decision.

PTI rally canceled in Islamabad

PTI had announced to hold a rally today in Islamabad for the release of its imprisoned founder Imran Khan, however, after not getting permission from the administration, the new statement from the party said that this rally will now be held. It will be in September.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had said about the Jalsa NOC that it was ‘issued by the court itself.’

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However, yesterday the administration of Islamabad canceled the permit for the PTI rally and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that ‘no one can be allowed to come to the red zone.’

The Federal Interior Minister made this statement during a high-level meeting on law and order under his chairmanship on Wednesday night.

After which Tehreek-e-Insaf in the federal capital has announced the cancellation of the rally in Tarnool, but on the other hand, some religious parties had called for a demonstration in front of D Chowk and the Supreme Court. But during the hearing, many of their workers did not come.

On the other hand, in the latest announcement, the central leader of Tehreek-e-Insaf, Umar Ayub, has asked to cancel the Tarnool rally, but he had asked to announce the new date of the demonstration later.

On the other hand, the meeting of the Federal Capital Intelligence Coordination Committee was told that the second day of the first Test match between the cricket teams of Pakistan and Bangladesh will take place on Thursday, for which the players will have to provide security.

In this regard, the IG Islamabad was of the opinion that the workers who came to participate in the rally can stay for a long time and are bringing tear gas protection masks, food, bedding and other equipment with them. It is clear that they can turn the rally into a sit-in.

Before Umar Ayub’s latest announcement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, in a video statement, appealed to the public to arrive in large numbers at Swabi Interchange at 3 pm, from where he himself will lead the rally and reach Tarnool. There will be a meeting.

He condemned the cancellation of PTI’s rally permit by the Islamabad administration.

Actions of Islam Police

According to the Islamabad Police, the metro bus service running between the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will remain suspended on Thursday.

In the red zone, all the routes to and from Sarina Chowk, Nadra Chowk and Express Chowk are closed, for which Margalla Road can be used as an alternative.

Only one lane of Murree Road is open for traffic at Faizabad. Swan Bridge is closed for traffic on both sides.

Almost all the interchanges of M2 Motorway coming from Lahore to Islamabad have been closed by installing containers.

All roads within Islamabad city are open for traffic, Srinagar Highway, Colonel Sher Khan Road, Margalla Road, Jinnah Avenue, Ninth Avenue and Seventh Avenue etc.

Punjab province has implemented Section 144, which prohibits gathering of citizens.