Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf intra-party elections challenged in election commission

ISLAMABAD: A challenge to the intra-party elections of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been formally lodged with the Election Commission, as reported by ARY News on Tuesday. The petition, submitted by Raja Tahir Nawaz, a PTI member from Islamabad, alleges non-compliance with the PTI constitution during the intra-party elections.

The plea contends that a dummy panel was introduced to oversee the party elections, a violation of the party's constitutional procedures.

According to the petitioner, it was the responsibility of the party's secretary-general to conduct intra-party elections. Seeking the Election Commission's intervention, Raja Tahir Nawaz requests an order to declare the recently held party elections null and void, urging a directive for the secretary-general to organise a re-election, ARY News reported.

Azizuddin Kakakhel Advocate has filed the petition on behalf of Raja Tahir Nawaz. This development comes in the wake of PTI founding member Akbar S Babar labelling the intra-party elections as a mere drama, asserting that the party and its symbol, the 'bat,' are at stake.

In a video statement, Babar proposed the establishment of an intra-party election commission and called for a set-aside of the election.

He emphasised the need for the PTI to adhere to its constitution in managing the party organisation. Babar, during a press conference, denounced the party election as fraudulent, expressing reservations about the exclusion of founding members from contesting for the chairmanship.

He vowed to challenge the intra-party election. It is noteworthy that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan emerged as the new chairman of the PTI, elected unopposed to replace the incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, ARY News reported.