ECP adjourns PTI intra-party elections case until April 8

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the PTI intra-party elections case until April 8.

A three-member ECP bench, led by Member Sindh Nisar Durrani, heard the case regarding the legitimacy of PTI’s internal elections and their compliance with ECP regulations. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Akbar S. Babar, and other key figures appeared before the commission.

During the hearing, an ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa questioned PTI’s internal management, noting that media reports have frequently mentioned Salman Akram Raja’s involvement, raising concerns about his role in the party.

PTI’s intra-party elections have been a subject of controversy, with critics highlighting a lack of transparency in the process. Barrister Gohar defended the party’s stance, stating that PTI is managing its affairs internally and awaiting ECP’s certification to resolve the issue.

An ECP member urged PTI to withdraw its stay order from the high court, to which Barrister Gohar clarified that no such stay order is in place regarding the proceedings. Another member remarked that the case is not a trial and that delaying a decision due to judicial matters is not feasible. The ECP also noted that PTI’s submitted documents were incomplete, raising further concerns over compliance.

Akbar S. Babar, a founding member of PTI, argued that the case holds significant public importance. He urged the ECP to issue a timely decision, claiming that PTI lacks internal democracy. Speaking to the media after the hearing, Babar went as far as calling PTI an illegal organization and demanded that its accounts be frozen.

The case will now be taken up again on April 8, with the ECP expected to further examine PTI’s compliance with electoral regulations.