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PTI may approach LHC for stay order revocation amid fears of polls delay

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11 months ago

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  • Zafar says he did not realise party was trying to get a stay order.
  • Says it was time they should learn to accept election results.
  • PTI may withdraw stay order to expedite case hearing, he says.

The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) has admitted that securing stay order from the Lahore High Court against Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) appointments for general elections was a wrong move, while hinting that the party may approach the court for the withdrawal of its order.

Speaking on Geo News’ ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ show, PTI Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar has said the PTI could move LHC to seek withdrawal of the stay order, on the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy for the general elections.

“The PTI may withdraw the stay order to speed up the case hearing on merits to decide the fate of appointment of DROs and ROs,” he remarked.

He said the impression against the PTI regarding the delay in the elections because of stay order as a result of its plea was somewhat correct and the criticism seemed right.

However, the PTI leader said as far as filing the petition against appointments of officers from bureaucracy was concerned, his party stance on the matter was right.

Nevertheless, admitting to miscommunication or lack of communication in the party, the PTI senator said he did not realise that the party was trying to get a stay order in the reference as there was no need for it.

The LHC issued a stay order on appointment of ROs and DROs from bureaucracy on a petition filed by the PTI. Consequently, the ECP stopped training of the election officers which sparked fears of deferment in polls.

To a query, whether the PTI would accept the poll results if they were conducted by judicial officers reminding him that the PTI did not accept the 2013 election results and the other major parties did not accept the 2018 elections while both the polls were conducted by ROs and DROs from judiciary, Ali Zafar replied it was time that they should learn to accept the election results.

“Even though we want elections to be held by judicial officers and the ECP probably wants them to be conducted by bureaucracy, whatever the results are we should accept them as it is the mandate of the masses,” he said.

Explaining how his party would tackle rigging, the barrister said it was mentioned in the Election Act how evidence had to be provided of rigging in certain constituency. 

A day earlier, the ECP stopped the training of district returning officers and returning officers who were appointed for the upcoming general elections on the LHC order.

PML-N accuses PTI of conspiring to delay elections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday accused the PTI of hatching a conspiracy to delay the February 8 general elections.

In a statement, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had said the PTI was conspiring to defer the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8 next year.

Referring to the PTI petition in the LHC against hiring DROs from bureaucracy, the PML-N president said the plea amounted to sabotaging people’s representation.

“The PTI’s petition in the high court is a plot to run away from the elections. PTI is hatching a conspiracy against the February 8 general elections just like cipher. As always, the PTI is applying double-standard and hypocritical policy here,” he said.

The former prime minister further said the PTI was filing petitions in the courts to postpone the polls, while publicly demanding to hold elections on time.

“Even in the 2018 elections, the bureaucracy had carried out the responsibility of DROs. Then the PTI did not object to bureaucratic DROs performing their duty,” he said adding that if the elections of February 8, 2024 were delayed, the PTI would be responsible.

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PTI presents seven nominations to Imran Khan for the judicial commission.

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2 days ago

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has proposed seven individuals to its founder, Imran Khan, for consideration as founding members of PTI for membership in the next Judicial Commission.

None of the nominated individuals are attorneys; rather, the roster includes four Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and three senators.

The proposed MNAs are Umar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Ali Mohammad Khan, and Aamir Dogar, while the senators are Shibli Faraz, Mohsen Aziz, and Aun Abbas Bapi. Sources suggest that the Judicial Commission will include one opposition member from both the National Assembly and the Senate.

The PTI founder will evaluate and endorse two names from the suggested list, which will then be sent to the Speaker for future actions.

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Miller confirmed that Biden’s administration got a letter from a congressman requesting the release of the PTI founder.

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3 days ago

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Following his removal as prime minister in 2022, Khan started a protest movement against a coalition of his enemies led by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Since then, he has been in jail since August 2023 and has been involved in hundreds of cases.

In response to ARY News’ question over the congressmen’s letter during a media briefing in Washington on Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “We will respond in due course to the members.”

The United States wants to see Pakistan maintain its democracy, Miller stated.

The release of the PTI founder’s wife and sisters was a result of a meeting between the US Deputy Assistant Secretary and a Pakistani government representative in Islamabad, which was further questioned during the press briefing.

“I won’t be addressing that,” Miller said when asked if the United States was involved in their release. Miller did, however, affirm that the conference included the defense of Pakistan’s basic liberties and rights.

Sixty-two members of the US Congress urged President Joe Biden on October 24 to support the release of Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, and other political prisoners.

The congressmen, who included well-known Muslim members Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, said in their letter that the Biden administration should ask Pakistani authorities to guarantee the safety of PTI founder Imran Khan.

They also underlined that US policy should concentrate on Pakistan’s human rights situation and asked that US ambassadors attend the PTI leader’s incarceration.

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A bill pertaining to the number of Supreme Court justices will soon be presented.

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4 days ago

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), recently met, and the inside story of their conversation has revealed important political developments.

The leaders talked about a variety of constitutional and governance matters, including the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, according to sources.

One of the primary outcomes of the conference was the decision to expeditiously introduce a bill in parliament that would increase the number of judges on the Supreme Court. Immediately after it is introduced in parliament, this law is expected to be approved in a matter of days.

In addition, the recently ratified 26th Constitutional Amendment was discussed, with particular attention paid to creating a system for the establishment of constitutional benches at the federal and provincial levels. The formation of constitutional benches would be the subject of formal meetings, they agreed.

Furthermore, the leaders examined the pending measure concerning the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) municipal authority, which has been sent to the appropriate committee for additional assessment.

They also discussed the implementation of an agreement on Punjabi issues between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). According to sources, the conference also discussed the status of an agreement over fund release and administrative jobs in Punjab.

Bilawal Bhutto was reassured by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the federal government would continue to support continued development initiatives in Sindh.

PM Sharif and Bilawal met on Sunday at the premier’s Model Town home in Lahore, where they talked about the newly ratified 26th Constitutional Amendment and pledged to support Pakistan’s parliamentary system and democracy.

As a historic step, Bilawal Bhutto celebrated the 26th Constitutional Amendment’s adoption during the meeting. He said: “We will work together to strengthen democracy and parliament.”

In agreement, Shehbaz credited the amendment’s accomplishment to the combined efforts of all coalition members. He promised that his commitment to the people would not falter and reiterated his commitment to public service.

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