The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has reserved its decision on the petition of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that contested the ruling of its single bench regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral ‘bat’ symbol and intra-party elections.
The ECP submitted a review petition in PHC against its December 26 verdict, that suspended the ECP’s order and restored the party’s ‘bat’ symbol until a final decision on the matter.
ECP, through its order, deemed the intra-party polls of the PTI as “illegal” and revoked its authorization to use the ‘bat’ symbol.
In response to this decision, the erstwhile ruling party appealed to the Peshawar High Court, requesting the reinstatement of its party symbol in anticipation of the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8.
It’s that time of the electoral season when we find out just how rich are the people who rule us.
Financial details in nomination papers reveal a noteworthy surge in the assets of former Prime Minister and founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, a rise of a whopping Rs277 million over the past five years.
According to the documents, Imran Khan’s assets, which were valued at Rs38.694 million in 2018, have now exceeded Rs315.95 million as per the nomination papers submitted for the upcoming elections in 2023.
Imran Khan has made public the possession of a seven kanal eight marla house in Zaman Park, Lahore, with an associated construction expenditure of more than Rs48.6 million.
At the same time, the PTI founder also owns another piece of land in Islamabad, much smaller in size though – six kanals and 16 marlas- with a stated market value of over Rs 5 million.
Additionally, he has disclosed ownership of a 300-kanal land in Bani Gala received as a gift.
Notably, the former PTI chairman does not own any vehicles, as indicated in his documents.
Other assets in Islamabad include a Rs120m shop and a two-bed apartment which has been priced at Rs34m.
According to the documents, the items bought from Toshakhana – the infamous pieces that resulted in a case and disqualification – are valued at over Rs11.8m.
On the other hand, the PTI founding chairman says his wife – Bushra Bibi – is the owner of 698 kanal in Deepalpur and Pakpattan besides another three-kanal house located at Banigala.
The financial trajectory showcases a substantial increase in Imran Khan’s wealth.
He mentioned the value of his assets at Rs38.694m in the 2018 general elections’ nomination papers, which has now reached Rs315.95m, representing a massive jump, out which over Rs60m are in cash deposited with different banks of Islamabad.
In 2021, he declared assets valued at over Rs141 million to the Federal Board of Revenue, which further rose to over Rs320 million in 2022.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) certificate attached to his nomination papers for the upcoming elections in 2023 verifies that the current value of Imran Khan’s assets is over Rs315.9 million.
This revelation holds significance as Imran Khan, the jailed former Prime Minister, gears up to contest the upcoming elections. The submitted details to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) depict a considerable financial evolution over the specified five-year period.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially communicated with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), seeking strict action against media channels found violating the established code of conduct for the upcoming February 8 polls.
The letter explicitly points out the airing of voting surveys by certain media channels. This practice, as per the ECP’s Code of Conduct for National Media, is prohibited under Clause 12.
According to Clause 12, individuals working in print, electronic, and social media are prohibited from obstructing the election process and are required to display accreditation cards provided by the Election Commission.
The ECP emphasized that both print and social media should refrain from conducting polls and surveys at polling stations or constituencies. The electoral watchdog stated that such activities have the potential to influence voters’ free choice and may disrupt the electoral process.
The letter stated, “Given the seriousness of this issue, I am directed to state that PEMRA shall take prompt and appropriate action against the electronic media channels in strict alignment with Clause 12 of the Code of Conduct for National Media. A compliance report in this regard be also shared with this office as soon as possible for placing it before the Election Commission.”
The ECP’s comprehensive 18-point code of conduct for media during elections includes provisions preventing the dissemination of content that reflects opinions prejudicial to the sovereignty, uprightness, or security of Pakistan. It also prohibits statements that could harm national solidarity or create a law and order situation.
The regulatory framework extends to personal attacks on candidates or political parties in media content, mandating that any allegations should include comments from both sides. Monitoring responsibilities are delegated to Pemra, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Press Information Department, and the Cyber Wing and Digital Media Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The ECP further emphasized that these authorities are accountable for monitoring political parties’ and candidates’ coverage during election campaigns through electronic channels, print, and social media. Details of payments made by political parties and candidates must be submitted within 10 days after the poll day.
The Election Commission of Pakistan warns that, in case of any violation of this Code of Conduct, it reserves the right to withdraw accreditation from individual journalists or media organizations. The authority to determine violations also rests with the electoral body. The media is also prohibited from airing unofficial results of a polling station until one hour after the close of the poll during the polling process coverage.
In all honesty, 2023 was more like a crazy roller coaster than a democratic process when it comes to Pakistani politics. Here are some of the significant events that happened this year:
Assemblies dissolved
On January 14, 2023, the provincial assembly of Punjab was dissolved while on January 16, 2023, Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was dissolved as former Prime Minister Imran Khan was pushing for early national elections.
May 9
On May 9, 2023, former prime minister and founder chairman of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan was submitting his biometric data for a court appearance when paramilitary forces broke down a window inside the court to get to apprehend him.
The dramatic and sudden arrest of the former cricket star turned leader resulted in violent clashes between supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and law enforcement agencies protests to mark the arrest of the former Prime Minister turned into riots.
Several military installations, including GHQ and the Lahore corps commander’s official residence, were attacked across the country within hours of Imran Khan’s detention.
May 9, termed a “black day” by the Pakistani state, ended up provoking a harsh military crackdown on Khan’s party.
PTI Dismantled
Thousands of PTI members, including many women, were rounded up and arrested after May 9 riots.
More than two dozen members of PTI resigned from the politics following the protests.
Notable figures like Shireen Mazari, Asad Umer, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Fawad Chaudhry, Maleeka Bokhari, Abrar ul Haq, Murad Ras, Ali Haider Zaidi, Imran Islamil, Usman Dar, Farrukh Habib, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Andleeb Abbas, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Shaukat Tarin and others either left PTI or quit politics.
Imran Khan Jailed
Police arrested Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore on August 5, 2023, after a court sentenced him to three years in prison for illegally selling state gifts, potentially barring the opposition leader from contesting an upcoming election.
On September 26, 2023, Imran Khan was shifted to the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi from Attock prison, a day after the Islamabad High Court ordered authorities to relocate him to the high-security jail.
Qazi Faez Isa
On September 17, 2023, Justice Qazi Faez Isa was sworn in as the 29th chief justice of Pakistan.
A ceremony was held at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad during which President Arif Alvi administered the oath of office. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir were also present.
Justice Isa was accompanied by his wife, Sarina Isa, while he was taking oath.
Imran Riaz ‘safely’ returns
On the evening of May 11, 2023, police arrested Imran Riaz Khan, a former anchor with the privately owned broadcaster Express News and host of a YouTube channel with over three million subscribers.
Imran Riaz Khan, often called Imran Riaz, was trying to flee the country over fears of his arrest. At the time, authorities accused him of inciting people to violence through his reporting.
He was said to have been freed a few days later, but there was no trace of him and police denied keeping him in custody.
On September 25, 2023, his lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq took to X (former Tiwtter) and posted a picture of Imran Riaz, after his return, stating that the recovery took a long time due to “countless difficulties, a weak judiciary” and the ineffectiveness of the Constitution. He also shared a photo of him with Khan.
The rift between Zardari and Bilawal
On November 23, 2023, the former president of Pakistan and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari‘s father, Asif Ali Zardari, during an exclusive interview with Hamid Mir on Geo News’ program “Capital Talk”, said that Bilawal is “inexperienced” and that it would take some time for him to gain more exposure, on Thursday.
“Bilawal is much more talented than I am, but he isn’t experienced,” he said.
On November 24, 2023, in a seeming act of defiance to his father, Bilawal changed his profile picture on X on Friday afternoon, to a photo with his mother Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister and head of the PPP till her assassination in 2017.
PPP denied all the claims of a rift between the father-son duo.
Afghan Refugees Repatriation
On October 3, 2023, Pakistan’s caretaker government announced it would carry out mass deportations — known under domestic law as an Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan — asking all concerned to leave the country before 1 November. Although the plan purported to apply to all foreigners residing in the country illegally, it appears designed to target Afghans, millions of whom have sought refuge in Pakistan over the years.
As of December 29, 2023, the total number of allegedly illegal Afghans who left Pakistan reached 453,480 and the process is still underway.
Nawaz Sharif Returns
On October 21, 2023, Pakistan’s thrice-elected former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan, ending four years of self-imposed exile in London.
Nawaz Sharif was disqualified when the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) announced its decision on July 28, 2017, in the Panama Papers case. After that, Nawaz Sharif and three of his children were referred to an accountability court, which was ordered to file corruption cases against Sharif’s family within six weeks.
In July 2018, the expelled prime minister was imprisoned for 10 years in the Avenfield properties corruption case, an assets-beyond-means trial.
In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail on December 24, 2018. Nawaz Sharif was taken to Adiala jail in this case, and then he was shifted to Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on the very next day. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million in this case.
The former prime minister was released from jail in March 2019. After that, the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Nawaz Sharif to go to London for treatment for fast-depleting platelet levels, and then he left for London in November 2019.
Elections Date Announced
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on November 3, 2023, that 8th February 2024 is the poll date for the General Elections for the National Assembly of Pakistan and Provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The date was announced by the President House in a statement following a meeting between the top election officials and President Alvi, hours after the election commission lawyer told the Supreme Court that elections will be held on February 11.
PTI New Chairman
On December 2, 2023, The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) on Saturday elected Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as the new chairman in the intra-party elections held on the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Gohar won the chairman’s position unopposed.
The change was forced on the party after the Election Commission of Pakistan warned the PTI last month that it risked losing its emblem – a cricket bat – unless an internal ballot was held for party officers.
Election symbols are crucial in a country where the adult literacy rate is 58 percent, according to World Bank data.
Baloch Long March
Demanding the release of all “missing persons” and an end to “extrajudicial killing” in Balochistan under the leadership of activist Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the march started in Turbat, Balochistan, on December 6 after the alleged extrajudicial killing of 24-year-old Balach Baloch.
According to BYC, when the march reached the capital, the city administration didn’t allow them to protest in front of the press club. Maharng Baloch said in her live video from the Facebook page of BYC that Islamabad police arrested 300 male protesters, eight women, and 10 children.
The Returning Officer (RO) for NA-4 on Friday rejected the nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed as the candidate was on the absconder’s list.
Murad Saeed has been absconding since the May 9 incidents.
PTI’s lawyer has said that he has completed all the documents required by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and will appeal against the verdict in Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Meanwhile, the Provincial election commissioner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has directed returning officers across different districts to recover unpaid fines from various political leaders, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as per Dawn.
These fines, imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), are under scrutiny as part of the nomination paper review process for the upcoming February 8 elections.
A letter dated December 28, issued by the provincial election commissioner and obtained by Dawn.com, reveals that a total of 62 political figures from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab have outstanding fines ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000.
The fines are linked to violations committed during election campaigns, with the severity of the violations determining the penalty amount.
According to the letter, Imran Khan faces a substantial debt of Rs200,000 to the ECP, making him the highest debtor on the list.
The former premier allegedly committed four separate violations in March 2022, each resulting in a fine of Rs50,000. Notably, these violations occurred just a month before Imran Khan’s removal through a parliamentary vote.
Other prominent figures on the list include former Chief Minister of KP Mahmood Khan, who owes Rs150,000 for three violations, and ex-federal minister Murad Saeed, facing a fine of Rs100,000 for two violations.
Several members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-P) are also included, with outstanding amounts ranging from Rs50,000.
The ECP letter states, “Candidates and public office holders [in the past] violated the code of conduct during election campaigns of various previous elections… fines were imposed upon them under Section 234 sub-section (3) of the Election Act 2017.”
It further notes that some individuals failed to deposit the fines and others filed appeals that were rejected by the ECP.
The competent authority has directed returning officers to share the list of defaulters and ensure the recovery of unpaid fines during the scrutiny of nomination papers. The deadline for scrutinizing nomination papers is December 30, with the process commencing on December 24.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Friday that it will display the final list of the candidates’ list on January 23 (Tuesday).
According to the electoral watchdog, the candidates will be able to withdraw their nomination papers until Monday, January 22.
The ECP is expected to display the candidate list on January 20. The appellate tribunals will decide on the appeals until January 19.
The appeals against RO’s verdict on the special seats can be filed until January 16.
The electoral watchdog had revised the election schedule for the special seats. The scrutiny of the nomination papers of women and minorities candidates will continue until January 13.
Meher Bano Qureshi, daughter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said that the treatment being handed out to her father is unbearable for his “mureeds.”
“The people of Umarkot came out of fear. Peaceful protest of Ghousia Jamaat followers and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf workers in Umarkot against the humiliation and bogus arrest of Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi by the Rawalpindi police.”
“The people of Khipro on the streets against oppression! Full peaceful protest of Ghousia Jamaat Khipro on ill-treatment of Shah Mehmood Qureshi and arrest in the bogus case.”
@teamsmq کھپرو کے عوام ظلم کے خلاف سڑکوں پر! شاہ محمود قریشی کے ساتھ ناروا سلوک اور بوگس مقدمے میں گرفتاری پر غوثیہ جماعت کھپرو کا بھرپور پرامن احتجاج۔ #ReleaseSMQ♬ original sound – riShi
Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi is the Sajjada Nasheen of Shrine Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya (R.A).
After Hur and Sarwari Jamaats, the Ghousia Jamaat has the most influence in Sindh.
Pir Pagara is the Sajjada Nashin for Hur Jamaat and Makhdum Amin Fahim for Sarwari Jamaat.
Their “gaddis”- religious centers- are in Pir Jo Goth and Hala.
While the gaddi for Qureshi’s followers is in Multan, the city used to be a part of Sindh till 1818 when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured it. Hence, a large number of Bahauddin Zakariya’s followers are from Sindh.
A few former parliamentarians in Sanghar, Hyderabad, and Tando Allahyar districts are diehard followers of Ghosia Jamaat, who were elected in the 2008 elections because of their influence in the community.
Besides Tharparker, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Ghotki, Umerkot, Larkana, Kamber Shahdadkot, Shahdadpur, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta and Jacobabad districts also have a large following of the Ghousia Jamaat.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi claimed to have endured mental and physical torture during his incarceration.
The former Foreign Minister appeared before Duty Magistrate Syed Jahangir Ali in the GHQ attack case, asserting that he was subjected to harsh conditions, both mentally and physically, and exposed to severe cold weather while in jail.
During the court session, he insisted on recording his statement in the presence of his counsel, expressing dissatisfaction with the police’s attempt to obtain his statement without legal representation as per Geo News.
The former foreign minister said he was being treated in jail for the past several months in the same manner. “Is this justice? I am tortured,” he asked.
Qureshi said he will swear on the Holy Quran that he was not present in Rawalpindi on May 9 and instead, he was in Karachi that day.
“I was with my wife in the Aga Khan Hospital. Get the record from PEMRA, I was present in Karachi,” said Qureshi.
Qureshi, who had previously been granted bail by three Supreme Court judges, questioned the justice system, highlighting the fluctuating circumstances of his arrest and release.
He said that he was arrested under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) 3.
“One night I am arrested and in the morning I am told that I am being released. When I asked what made it happen, they replied there is a loophole in the case,” he said.
Qureshi said he was ordered to be arrested on December 26 then the date was changed to 27. He was within the jail’s premises when Punjab police arrived to arrest him, he said.
“I have been a member of the assembly for five times. SHO Ashfaq tortured me. He kicked and punched me,” he said. He said he felt pain in his chest for which he was begged the superintendent police for hours to take him to hospital.
“A doctor was called who was carrying just a blood pressure checking machine,” he added.
Earlier, the Rawalpindi Police reportedly barred journalists from entering the judicial complex, citing a ban on media coverage of the GHQ attack case against Qureshi.
His legal counsel expressed concern over the restriction, questioning the nature of an in-camera trial with limited media access.
شاہ محمود قریشی کی راولپنڈی میں جوڈیشل کمپلیکس میں پیشی پر پولیس نے صحافیوں کو عدالت جانے سے روک دیا بھاری نفری تعینات، افسران بالا سے بات کریں، پولیس کا کہنا ہے کہ ہمیں یہی احکامات ہیں کہ میڈیا کو شاہ محمود قریشی کی پیشی پر عدالت میں نہیں جانے دینا#ShahMehmoodQureshi
Qureshi’s daughter, Meher Bano Qureshi, filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against what she termed the “unlawful abduction” of her father, as per Geo News.
Meherbano stated in the petition that Qureshi had been granted bail by the Supreme Court, and referred to the remark of Justice Athar Minallah, who stated: “The incarceration of the petitioners will not serve any useful purpose.
Moreover, their release on bail during the period of elections would ensure ‘genuine elections and thus enable the people to exercise the right to express their will effectively and meaningfully.”
The PTI vice chairman’s recent arrest, just after securing bail in a cipher case, raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his detention.
President Arif Alvi also weighed in, calling on authorities to address the alleged mistreatment of Qureshi and uphold human rights and dignity.
“We must not become a state where human rights and dignity are violated without fear. Authorities must pay attention to the confiscation of documents, the brutal action against the protesters, and now the indecent treatment of the former foreign minister by two governments,” Alvi wrote on X (former Twitter).
ہمیں ایسی ریاست نہیں بننا چاہیے جہاں انسانی حقوق اور وقار کو بلاخوف پامال کیا جائے۔ کاغذات چھیننا، مظاہرین کے خلاف بےرحمانہ کارروائی اور اب دو حکومتوں کے سابق وزیر خارجہ کے ساتھ غیر مہذبانہ سلوک پر حکام کو ضرور توجہ کرنی چاہیے۔ رجعت پسند دلائل کہ “ایسے واقعات پہلے بھی رونما…
The arrest is linked to cases related to the May 9 riots following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Qureshi is implicated in a GHQ attack case and is expected to appear in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) for further proceedings.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) unveiled a revised list on Sunday, featuring 175 officially registered political parties that reflect the diverse landscape of the country’s political arena.
The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, is no longer listed as the leader of the party in the updated list, indicating that PTI is now considered a political entity without a designated leader.
However, the list now includes the group headed by Pervez Khattak, identified as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP).
An important development took place earlier in the week when the party led by Khan lost its electoral symbol, the “bat”, as a result of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) releasing the reserved verdict on the party’s internal elections.
After hearing arguments from all concerned parties, the ECP initially reserved its decision.
Following this, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, leading a five-member bench of the electoral authority, announced the invalidation of the PTI’s intra-party elections.
After ECP’s verdict, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who took over as PTI chairman after Imran Khan, will no longer serve as the party’s leader.
Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has stated that none of his family members will contest the upcoming general elections slated for February 8 next year.
During a chat with journalists outside the Islamabad High Court on Thursday, she remarked: “I will not contest the election, even if Imran Khan asks (me), I will not participate in the election.”
Aleema clarified that neither Khan’s sisters nor his wife will contest. “None of us is contesting elections. We only come for the cases of the PTI founder”.
She emphasized that treating the PTI founder in the same manner as former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was unwarranted, highlighting the absence of a young generation during Bhutto’s time.
She alleged that Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had got two umpires, asserting that he was preventing other political players from entering the political arena, stressing that evidence supporting this claim became apparent during the nomination paper submission process, where individuals are allegedly being deprived of their papers.
She dismissed the cipher case as a mere joke, expressing concern over the rapid pace of the trial and raising the possibility of a death sentence being pronounced by December 30.
“Our hope for justice is from Allah and justice should also be expected from the Supreme Court, but what is happening is in front of everyone. We are no longer disappointed with the Supreme Court. If you don’t expect anything from the Supreme Court, who will you expect from? If we do not get justice from there, we will definitely get it from Allah,” she remarked.
Hassaan Niazi, prominent leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, has officially declared his intention to participate in the upcoming general elections.
The decision was revealed as his mother filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, seeking approval for his nomination papers.
The petition argued that, with the Election Commission having announced the election schedule, Hassan Niazi remains eligible, having neither faced disqualification nor conviction; he is presently in custody.
The legal plea urged the court to grant permission for the completion of Hassan Niazi’s nomination paper for the submission process.
It further proposes a meeting between the court commissioner and Hassan Niazi to facilitate the verification or rejection of the nomination papers.
The move sets the stage for a potentially dynamic political scenario, with Hassan Niazi’s candidacy poised to shape the unfolding electoral landscape.
The Case
A Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted the police two-day transit remand of the focal person of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew, Hassaan Niazi.
The police had produced Niazi in the court seeking his transit remand to take him to Karachi, where he is wanted in connection with sedition charges registered against him.
The case against Niazi was registered on the complaint of a citizen named Muhammad Iqbal at the Jamshaid Quarters police station.
According to the first information report (FIR), Niazi was involved in inciting people to revolt against national institutions and attempting to provoke disharmony in a video on social media.
The statement had allegedly created anger and distress among the masses.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued that Niazi’s presence was required in Karachi for further legal proceedings.
Therefore, the court approved the request for a two-day transit remand, allowing the police to take Niazi to Karachi for progress in the case.
