Tag: Election Commission of Pakistan

  • Swords, knives, missiles and kangaroos; ECP awards symbols to parties

    Swords, knives, missiles and kangaroos; ECP awards symbols to parties

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has allotted symbols to political parties as general elections loom nearer. The list of symbols is eccentric, becoming the subject of much hilarity on social media.

    A four-member bench led by ECP Sindh Member Nisar Durrani, allotted election symbols to 23 political parties as these parties have fulfilled the criteria.

    According to the Election Act 2017, holding intra-party election is a prerequisite to get the election symbol.

    ECP has allotted ‘sword’ as election symbol to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ‘knife’ to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaniyat, ‘missile’ to Pakistan Peace Movement, ‘pistol’ to the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Pakistan, ‘victory’ (sign) to Pakistan People’s Party Workers, ‘fist’ to Pakistan People’s Party Shaheed Bhutto, ‘book’ to the JUIF, ‘ring’ to Rabita Jamiat-e-Islam, ‘cup’ to the People’s Muslim League, ‘bucket’ to Kisan Ittehad, ‘leaf’ to the Pakistan Awami Democratic Alliance, ‘kangaroo’ to All Pakistan United League, ‘moon’ to Hazara Democratic Party, ‘hockey’ to Pakistan Awami League, ‘waistcoat’ to the Movement of Dervishes Pakistan. Likewise, the commission allotted ‘takhti’ to JUI Ideological, ‘helmet’ to Modern Awami Party and ‘telephone’ to Tehreek-e-Azam Pakistan and ‘jug’ to Allah o Akbar Movement.

  • PTI may be considered ineligible for election symbol, warns ECP

    PTI may be considered ineligible for election symbol, warns ECP

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has cautioned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that it may be found ineligible to receive an election symbol due to its failure to hold intra-party elections.

    ECP summoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear before it on August 4 (Friday) at 10 am, “failing which the Commission under Section 215 (5) of the Elections Act, 2017, may declare your political party ineligible to obtain election symbol for future election(s)”.

    According to previous notices, the PTI’s intra-party elections were scheduled for June 13, 2021, according to the party’s constitution. PTI was informed/reminded to hold intra-party elections within the timeframe specified in sections 208, 209, and 215 of the Elections Act of 2017, but the party failed to “provide the requisite certificate to this effect.”

    The ECP had instructed parties to include a list of symbols they prioritize with their applications, as well as the signature of the party head.

    “Every application must include the address of the head office of the political party,” the election commission said.

  • Ready to hold elections in 60 or 90 days: ECP Secretary

    Ready to hold elections in 60 or 90 days: ECP Secretary

    Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Umar Hamid has said while talking to SAMAA TV that ECP is ready to hold election in 90 or 60 days after the end of the tenure of the coalition government.

    The ECP secretary said that holding election in 60 or 90 days is a prerequisite of the constitution of Pakistan.
    “ECP has been trying to hold polls, whether the assemblies are dissolved or complete their term,” he added.

    He further added that “The government will tell whether the assemblies will complete their term or not.”

  • Caretaker prime minister should be a politician: Qamar Zaman Kaira

    Caretaker prime minister should be a politician: Qamar Zaman Kaira

    Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Monday that the incoming caretaker prime minister should be a politician, adding that political people should be in political offices.

    The PPP leader gave the statement after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the government’s tenure is going to end next month, in August 2023.

    He also said, if the national assembly dissolves before time, then the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will fix a date in the next 90 days for general elections. On the other hand, if the government completes its tenure, the Election Commission of Pakistan will be bound to conduct an election in 60 days.

    The senior PPP leader has said that political offices can only be run by politicians.

    He added that the most elevated political office of the country is that of prime minister. “If a judge, general, bureaucrat, technocrat, journalist, or any corporate sector employee is appointed to it, it will be a disgrace to the post and cannot work.”

    He further asked, “Can I be appointed, on the seat of a judge in a high court or the Supreme Court is vacant? How will I be able to do justice there?”

  • Will we have elections? Chief Justice gives his opinion

    Will we have elections? Chief Justice gives his opinion

    During a seminar on the rights of minorities, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, on Sunday emphasised the importance of implementing the constitution, stating that it is their duty to hold elections within 90 days of assembly dissolution as outlined in the constitution.

    He was speaking at a conference named after the late CJP AR Cornelius on the issues faced by minorities.

    “When it comes to constitutional enforcement we [SC judges] must not blink our eyes. If it says 90 days for holding the polls, it is our duty to say that and not our choice,” said the CJP.

    The top judge further stated that protecting the constitution is their fundamental duty, and that he had been informed about ongoing negotiations among political parties.

    “There is a need to follow the constitution without looking for any excuses,” remarked the chief justice.“You may call it a dispute, but I will not.”
    The CJP also said that courts cannot pass executive orders.

  • ‘ECP ne kaisay election ki date di?’: Justice Mandokhail drops bombshell in court, sticks to detailed order

    ‘ECP ne kaisay election ki date di?’: Justice Mandokhail drops bombshell in court, sticks to detailed order

    The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday resumed hearing PTI’s petition against the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) to delay polls for Punjab Assembly.

    A five-member larger bench — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Aminuddin Khan — is hearing the case.

    During the hearing yesterday, Justice Bandial obser­ved that the ECP did not have any right or legal backing to extend the election date till October 8 and asked the Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) to get instructions from the federal government in this regard.

    However, when hearing resumed today, Justice Mandokhail, explaining yesterday’s remarks, said that there was a lot of confusion on his comments and he wanted to clarify them. “I stand by my detailed order. One part of the judgement is related to the rules of administrative powers, and that the Chief Justice will be asked to form a committee of judges to look at the rules, the committee of judges will look at the rules of administrative powers, in the second part of the judgment, we four judges have automatically rejected the notices and petitions,” said Mandokhail.

    Justice Mandokhail stated that according to him the verdict of the four judges in the suo motu case was the ‘order of the court’. “The CJP has not issued an ‘order of the court’ to date.

    Justice Mandokhail said that the decision of the four judges is the order of the court. “The Chief Justice of Pakistan did not issue this order of the court. How did the president give the election date when there was no decision? Has the ECP released the schedule? Today bring in court record file; it [will not] have the order of the court; all the judges sign the order of the court.”

    He said that he stands by the brief and detailed decision he gave.

    The judge also said that the decision on who will take a suo motu case was an “internal matter” of the court.

    Here, the CJP noted that Justice Mandokhail had given his explanation but the latter interjected him, saying that he was still speaking.

    Subsequently,  PPP lawyer Farooq H. Naek demanded that a full court bench be constituted to hear the case to which Justice Mandokhail said: “Why full court? The same seven-member bench should hear the case.”

    However, the PPP lawyer contended that the current situation called for the formation of a full court bench. He also highlighted that clarification was needed regarding the SC’s March 1 verdict.

    At that, the chief justice told Naek to submit a written request in court.

    Bill:

    The government on Tuesday tabled a bill titled “The Supreme Court (Practice and Protection) Bill, 2023” in the National Assembly and adopted a resolution holding “undue interference by the judiciary in political matters as a cause of political instability in the country”.

    It is expected that the standing committee will pass the bill in its meeting scheduled for today.

    The bill proposes a committee of three judges headed by the chief justice which will be empowered to take suo motu notice as opposed to the earlier practice, which allowed the CJP to initiate proceedings under Article 184(3) in an individual capacity.

    According to the proposed law, every cause, appeal, or matter before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by the committee comprising the CJP and two senior-most judges in order of seniority. It added that the decisions of the committee shall be by majority.

    In the bill, the right of appeal is being given to the accused party for the first time, which will be allowed to file an intra-court appeal within 30 days from the date of suo motu notice.

  • ‘Violation of constitution’: PTI to move SC against election postponement

    ‘Violation of constitution’: PTI to move SC against election postponement

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed that his party will challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone general elections in Punjab from April 30 to October 8 in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

    Addressing a joint press conference on Thursday, Chaudhry, along with PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, announced that they are moving the top court against the ECP for “breaching the Constitution”.

    “It is your duty to save the Constitution,” Chaudhry appealed to the judges of the top court, adding that the joint sitting of parliament convened on Wednesday was aimed at an “attack on the Supreme Court”.

    “Judges are being blackmailed and pressurised,” Chaudhry claimed. He also said that the country demands that Article 6 should be applied on five members of the electoral watchdog.  

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan condemned ECP’s move to postpone the election in Punjab, as the party announced to move the Supreme Court against “violation of the Constitution”.

    It is pertinent to mention here that electoral watchdog postponed the elections in view of the recent spate of terrorist attacks in various parts of the country.

    The order said that the interior ministry conveyed to the ECP that the deployment of civil and armed forces would not be possible due to the “spike in incidents of terrorism across the country” and threat alerts from intelligence agencies.

  • Fawad Chaudhry free on bail

    Fawad Chaudhry free on bail

    An Islamabad district and sessions court has accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry’s bail petition in the case registered against him for threatening Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officials and their families.

    The bail has been accepted on the condition that he will not repeat any words that can incite violence against a constitutional institution.

    Chaudhry was arrested outside his house in Lahore last Wednesday after the case was registered against him in Islamabad.

    Court sends Fawad Chaudhry to jail on judicial remand again

    On January 30, the court sent Chaudhry to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

    Fawad was presented before the court at 3 pm.

    Fawad is under arrest since five days.

    Court accepts police plea for Fawad’s physical remand

    On January 28, the court granted physical remand of Fawad Chaudhry to the police.

    The former minister was brought to court on Saturday with a black cloth covering his face on directives issued by Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Mehmood Khan who said the appearance of a suspect in the court is mandatory in cases where investigators seek a physical remand.

    Earlier, the court had sent Fawad to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

    Court sends Fawad Chaudhry to Adiala Jail

    On January 27, Chaudhry was sent to Adiala jail on a 14-day judicial remand in this case.

    The former information minister was taken into custody after a first information report (FIR) against him was registered in Islamabad by an official of ECP.

    Islamabad court approves Fawad’s two-day physical remand

    On January 26, the district and sessions court approved a two-day physical remand of Fawad Chaudhry.

    The Islamabad Police had sought an eight-day physical remand of the PTI leader. However, the court did not approve their request and asked the authorities to present the PTI leader on January 27.

    The police — during the time that the verdict was reserved — also took the PTI senior leader to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where he underwent a medical checkup and was declared fit.

    The former federal minister has vehemently denied all charges against him and demanded the case be dismissal as it is “fraud and the FIR is a sham”.

    ‘Where is Fawad Chaudhry?’; LHC summons Punjab, Islamabad IGs over failure to produce PTI leader

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on January 25 summoned the inspector generals (IG) of Islamabad and Punjab police after the authorities failed to produce Chaudhry before it.

    The LHC had ordered authorities to present Fawad before it in response to a petition filed by Fawad’s cousin, Nabeel Shehzad, for the “recovery” of the former federal minister.

    Interestingly, the orders were issued after a local court of Lahore had approved Fawad’s transitory remand in a sedition case filed against him in Islamabad on the Election Commission’s complaint.

    At the outset of the hearing on January 25, Justice Sheikh instructed the police to present Fawad in court by 1:30pm.

    On the other hand, PTI lawyer Azhar Siddique told the court that they had just learnt that Fawad was being taken to Islamabad.

    “The orders that I give, I make sure they are implemented,” Justice Sheikh said here. “Even if he [Fawad] has reached Islamabad, bring him back and present him before the court.”

    The hearing was adjourned for 30 minutes.

    When it resumed, the judge inquired: “Where is Fawad?”

    The AAG replied that Fawad was in the custody of the Islamabad police after which Justice Sheikh summoned the inspector generals of Islamabad and Punjab to court.

    Chaudhry’s wife appeals to the CJP to take suo-moto over husband’s arrest

    Chaudhry’s wife while talking to the media on Wednesday, January 26, said that the Chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial should take suo moto over her husband’s arrest.

    Lahore court allows police to take Fawad Chaudhry to Islamabad

    A court in Lahore allowed the police on Wednesday to take Chaudhry to Islamabad, hours after he was arrested

    Fawad Chaudhry brought to Lahore court hours after arrest

    Chaudhry was presented before a court in Lahore by the Islamabad Police to seek a transitory remand to transfer the former federal minister to the capital.

    Chaudhry was brought to the Cantt court in Lahore amid tight security early on Wednesday morning, hours after he was arrested from outside his residence on charges of sedition.

    Earlier this morning, Fawad was “taken away” in four cars with no number plates at 5:30AM. Faisal Chaudhry, Fawad’s brother, said that the family was unaware of Fawad’s location.

    During the hearing at Cantt Court, Fawad said that he was proud of the charges against him. “These allegations were also levelled at Nelson Mandela.”

    “It is being said that I have committed sedition […] I am a former Supreme Court lawyer and federal minister […] I should be treated with respect,” he told the court.

    The PTI leader said that the way he was arrested was “inappropriate”. “Had they called me, I would have come myself.”

    The Islamabad police have confirmed that the arrest has taken place. A case against Chaudhary was registered last night at the Kohsar police station in Islamabad on the complaint of Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Omer Hamid Khan. The first information report (FIR) was lodged against him for using threatening language against the ECP and its members.

    In his speech outside PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Fawad threatened the Election Commission, its members and their families, according to the FIR.

    The FIR states that Chaudhary said that the status of the election commission was reduced to that of a ‘munshi’ (clerk).

    Fawad said that those who become part of the caretaker government will be pursued until they are punished. He had said that the people sitting in the government would be pursued to their houses.

    A number of party leaders took to Twitter and condemned the arrest including Shireen Mazari and Hammad Azhar.

  • Imran Khan to set record for contesting on 9 NA seats

    Imran Khan to set record for contesting on 9 NA seats

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is set to create a record in the country’s history by contesting the by-elections from nine National Assembly (NA) constituencies.

    Imran Khan will run from Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kurram, Faisalabad, Nankana, Malir, Korangi, and Karachi South constituencies, i.e. NA-22, NA-24, NA-31, NA-45, NA-108, NA-118, NA-237, NA-239, and NA-246.

    Khan will file his nomination papers today (Saturday) for the three constituencies from Karachi.

    Speaking at a press conference, PTI leader Ali Zaidi said, “The by-elections will once again prove the love of Karachi and its people for Imran Khan.”

    “The PTI will launch an aggressive election campaign and we are very much hopeful that Khan sahib would also visit Karachi very soon,” he added.

    These nine seats were declared vacant after NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs.

    By-elections in nine constituencies will take place on September 25.

    Imran Khan to contest by-elections on 9 vacant NA seats

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be contesting by-elections on all nine National Assembly (NA) constituencies that had fallen vacant after NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf accepted 11 resignations of PTI members under Article 64(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The announcement that Khan will contest from all nine constituencies was made on PTI’s official Twitter account.

    During the 2018 general elections, the PTI chairman contested elections from five constituencies and won all of them.

    Election schedule for nine vacant National Assembly seats announced

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 5, announced that it will be holding by-elections in nine constituencies of the NA on September 25.

    According to the ECP notification, the elections are to be held in NA-22 Mardan -III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-45 Kurram-I, NA 108 Faisalabad- VIII, NA-118 Nanakana Sahib-II, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi Karachi-I, NA-246 Karachi South-I.

    After Imran Khan was ousted through a vote of no-confidence, 123 PTI lawmakers resigned en masse from the National Assembly.

    11 PTI MNAs whose resignations were accepted by Speaker NA
    • Ali Muhammad Khan (NA-22)
    • Faisal Muhammad Khan (NA-24)
    • Shaukat Ali (NA-31)
    • Fakhar Zaman Khan (NA-45)
    • Farrukh Habib (NA-108)
    • Ejaz Ahmad Shah (NA-118) )
    • Jameel Ahmad Khan (NA-237)
    • Mohammad Akram Cheema (NA-239)
    • Abdul Shakur Shaad (NA-246)
    • Dr Meher Ansa Shireen Mazari (Reserved Seat)
    • Shandana Gulzar Khan (Reserved Seat)
  • PTI foreign funding case: ECP reserves verdict

    PTI foreign funding case: ECP reserves verdict

     The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved the verdict in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) “foreign funding” case.

    ECP concluded the case after seven years of trial, which started in 2014 when PTI’s founding member Akbar S Babar filed it. The date when the verdict will be announced is yet to be revealed.

    PTI hid funds worth millions of rupees from the ECP, the report of an ECP scrutiny committee probing the party’s funds had revealed on January 4.

    The report stated that the PTI provided “false information” regarding the party’s funding to the ECP. It said that the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) bank statement revealed that the party had received Rs1.64 billion in funding.

    Read more: ECP barred: IHC suspends 30-day deadline order in PTI foreign funding case

    The report of an ECP scrutiny committee probing the party’s funds revealed the following details.

    The committee’s report showed that the PTI had only disclosed 12 out of its 65 accounts, which are registered with the SBP.

    The report stated that in the years 2008/2009 and 2012/2013, the PTI disclosed funding worth Rs1.33 billion against an actual amount of Rs1.64 billion, which was reflected in SBP’s bank statement. Therefore, the party did not disclose funding worth Rs310 million.

    A scrutiny committee of the ECP constituted in March 2019 to audit foreign funds of the PTI had finally submitted its report to the commission on November 26, 2021.