ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set Tuesday, October 22, for hearings on several key cases, including the PTI intra-party election case, delays in local government elections in Punjab and Islamabad, and a contempt case against the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The ECP has issued notices to various individuals involved in the PTI intra-party election case, including Barrister Gohar Ali, Rauf Hassan, Akbar S. Babar, and others.
Additionally, the Chief Secretary of Punjab, the Secretary of Local Government Punjab, and the Federal Secretary of Interior have been summoned to address the delays in local body elections in both Punjab and the federal capital.
The ECP will also hear the contempt case against the PTI founder on the same day.
This development follows a decision by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to temporarily restrain the ECP from delivering a verdict on PTI’s intra-party election case. A full bench of the LHC, led by Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza, issued the ruling after hearing two petitions filed by PTI and its chairman, Barrister Gohar Khan.
The petitions challenged the ECP’s inquiry into the party’s intra-party elections and the non-allotment of PTI’s electoral symbol, “bat.”
The LHC’s written order noted that the ECP had requested to adjourn the case, and as a result, the court barred the ECP from making any final decisions regarding PTI’s intra-party elections. The Assistant Attorney General has been instructed to submit a written statement at the next hearing, which has been adjourned until December 13.
