Salman Akram Raja claims, “Punjab election tribunals appointed by the LHC chief justice are being prevented from operating.”
PTI Criticizes Changes to Punjab Election Tribunals Amid Electoral Disputes
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday condemned the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for attempts to alter the Punjab election tribunals appointed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice to address electoral disputes.
At a press conference, PTI leader Barrister Salman Akram Raja criticized the ECP’s actions, asserting that the February 8 general elections were marred by significant rigging that remains unforgettable for the Pakistani people.
Raja, who contested in NA-128 Lahore and lost, alleged that the Punjab election tribunals, appointed by the LHC chief justice, have been obstructed from functioning, while tribunals in other provinces have operated according to their chief justices’ directives.
He suggested that the government is particularly concerned about Punjab, warning that many issues could arise if the LHC-appointed tribunals were allowed to resolve disputes.
Raja also stated that those who sow discord between institutions and the public are “Pakistan’s enemies.”
PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi, who lost the Multan NA-151 seat, emphasized the importance of women’s representation in democracy, lamenting that only three women from the party are currently in Parliament.
Additionally, Salman Akram Raja has filed a review petition with the Supreme Court of Pakistan to reinstate the functionality of the Punjab election tribunals. The Supreme Court’s five-member larger bench, led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), is set to review the ECP’s appeal against the LHC’s decision to appoint eight tribunals in Punjab.
The bench includes Justices Aminuddin Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.
On July 4, the Supreme Court suspended the LHC’s decision and notification regarding the appointment of the eight tribunals in Punjab until further consultations between the LHC chief justice and the ECP.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the Election (Amendment) Bill 2024 on July 9, granting the ECP the authority to appoint retired high court judges to election tribunals without needing consultations with the respective chief justices.
