ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formally requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue a certificate regarding its intra-party election. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan visited the ECP office to obtain the certificate for the internal election held last month.
Barrister Gohar conveyed dissatisfaction regarding the prolonged delay in the issuance of PTI’s certificate, despite the absence of objections regarding its internal election process. The delay is particularly disconcerting given that other parties, that conducted elections after PTI, have already received their certificates.
During the internal polls of the former ruling party held on March 3, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was re-elected as chairman unopposed. PTI’s Information Secretary, Raoof Hassan, officially declared the election results, confirming the unopposed victories of Omar Ayub as Central General Secretary and Dr. Yasmin Rashid as the President of Punjab.
On December 22, 2023, the ECP invalidated the electoral symbol ‘bat’ of PTI following a petition filed by founding member Akbar S Babar, who alleged irregularities in the intra-party elections. Despite PTI’s appeal to the Supreme Court for the restoration of its symbol, the apex court upheld the ECP’s decision.
Following the March 3 election, Akbar S Babar once again contested the intra-party polls in the ECP, accusing the party of fraud. On March 5, Babar filed a plea urging the ECP to nullify the results of PTI’s intra-party elections, citing alleged irregularities. This move reflects ongoing internal tensions within PTI, exacerbated by disputes between Babar and the party leadership.
