The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set a date for the hearing of the case concerning the intra-party elections of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on January 21, 2025. Notices have been issued to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, party leader Rauf Hassan, as well as to petitioner Akbar S. Babar and others involved in the case.
PTI initially held its intra-party elections on June 9, 2022. However, these elections were later challenged, and after nearly a year and a half of hearings, the ECP declared them null and void in November 2023. The commission instructed PTI to conduct new intra-party elections within 20 days to retain its election symbol, the bat, a deadline that came at a crucial time when general elections were approaching.
To comply with the ECP’s ruling, PTI held its intra-party elections on December 2, 2023, but the process was once again annulled on December 22, 2023. This led to PTI being disqualified from using its election symbol in the upcoming general elections, forcing its candidates to contest as independents.
In response to these issues, PTI held a third round of intra-party elections on March 3, 2024. Despite this, the ECP raised further objections and scheduled a new hearing to address unresolved concerns, including PTI’s organizational structure and its eligibility to retain its election symbol.
In response to the ECP’s objections, PTI submitted detailed answers to a series of questions posed by the commission. Rauf Hassan, PTI’s Federal Chief Election Commissioner, asserted that under the Election Act of 2017, there is no provision that would cause the party to lose its “organizational structure” after the expiration of its term. PTI’s leadership argues that it remains a registered political party, fully compliant with the Election Act, and eligible to participate in the upcoming elections.
As PTI continues to address the ECP’s concerns, the party’s intra-party elections remain under scrutiny, with the January 21 hearing serving as a crucial step toward resolving the dispute and ensuring the party’s participation in the upcoming general elections.
