ECP issues registered political parties list without PTI chairman's name

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday updated the list of registered political parties without adding the name of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman.

In the fresh list, the commission added the names of the chairman and president of the parties. The list verified the presidential and intra-party elections of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), respectively.

However, the commission wrote Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s name as president of PML-N, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman as JI Ameer, and Mehmood Khan as Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarian.

Despite Barrister Gohar Khan serving as PTI chairman after intra-party elections, the commission left the box of the president and chairman empty in front of the former ruling party's name.

It is pertinent to mention here that on January 16, the ECP had issued a list of registered parties to which they had not added PTI.

PTI held the intra-party election on June 9, 2022, which was declared null and void by the electoral body after a year in November 2023.

Later, the ECP ordered the party to hold elections within 20 days if they wanted to avoid deprivation from its icon symbol bat.

To save its iconic election symbol, the party held intra-party elections on Dec 2, 2023, and the second election was also declared annulled on Dec 22, which barred Imran Khan's party from contesting in the February 8 elections.

The ECP clarified the party did not appoint the Federal Election Commissioner to conduct intra-party elections for the Secretary-General.

Following the commission's decision, PTI candidates had to contest the general elections as independents and the party had to hold its intra-party elections for the third time on March 3 this year.

However, the ECP once again raised objections to the election exercise and set the matter for hearing without giving details of the objections.

Over PTI's objections, the commission eventually shared with them a questionnaire that sought information about the intra-party elections.

The PTI had submitted detailed responses to seven questions asked by the ECP, urging the election body to formally recognise the latest intra-party elections.

In its response, it said that PTI is an existing and active political party registered with the Election Commission under Section 202 of the Election Act, 2017.