• Says commission has withheld detailed verdict for over 40 days
• Insists delay goes against transparent, fair elections

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has formally appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately issue a detailed written order regarding the intra-party elections and poll symbol allocation, a decision that was orally announced on Aug 30.

In an application submitted through Barrister Ali Zafar, the PTI said the ECP had accepted that on March 28 some misunderstanding had led to the passing of the order as to whether the PTI’s August 2022 constitution had been withdrawn or the intra-party election.

It said that after a hearing and submission of affidavits, the Election Commission accepted that only the constitution of August 2022 had been withdrawn.

It said the intra-party elections of PTI were duly held on June 9, 2022, in pursuance of the party’s 2019 constitution, amended up to June 8, 2022.

This was why when the matter came up for a final hearing on Aug 30 this year, “the ECP accepted PTI’s submissions and orally anno­unced its decision that the elections were duly held on June 9, 2022, and, therefore, the matter stood resolved”, the application said.

“This was also so widely reported in the media. The matter hence stood finally concluded on Aug 30, 2023, and it was only observed that a detailed order will be issued soon in this regard,” it said.

It said that after the announcement of the oral order, more than 41 days have passed, but no order has been provided.

“The detailed order may kindly be issued and copy furnished as a matter of urgency because (a) elections are around the corner, (b) even if, for the argument’s sake only, an adverse order for re-holding intra-party elections were to come, the PTI would still need reasonable time to hold such elections, and (c) PTI being the largest party, it is in the interest of justice, for fairness of elections and enforcement of fundamental rights enshri­ned in the Constitution,” it said.

In a statement, Barrister Zafar said the PTI would be contesting upcoming elections.

“The non-issuance of the written order for 41 days is contrary to the concept of transparency and fairness of elections and in violation of the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, including Articles 4, 9, 10A, 15, 16, 17 and 26,” he said.

He said that under the Constitution of Pakistan, the ECP was bound to organise and conduct the election in a manner which was honest, just, fair and in accordance with the law, but the non-issuance of the detailed written order was contrary to this.

“The entire world is watching the proceedings of the ECP and the delay in the decision is unnecessarily creating contrary false rumours as if the decision orally announced on Aug 30, 2023, is going to be varied,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2023