ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued notice to PML-N for non-completion of the process for election of the party president within the stipulated timeframe.
The Commission has asked Ahsan Iqbal, party’s secretary general to appear in person or through a counsel on October 3.
The four-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Retd) Sardar Mohammad Rraza Khan heard miscellaneous constitutional petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and others.
After hearing the case, the ECP issued a notice to the PML-N for not electing president after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and notified that the PML-N “is now not eligible” to get the party symbol.
According to PML-N’s party constitution, it was supposed to elect a president within 45 days after the ouster of Sharif — the deadline passed on September 11.
The notice, issued to PML-N Acting Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, said that due to its failure to elect the party head, the PML-N “is now not eligible” to get the party symbol.
The ECP fixed the matter for hearing on October 3.
Earlier in the day, the counsel for PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq submitted before the ECP that the commission “has no jurisdiction in the matter of de-notifying a political party.”
The PML-N in its written reply argued that “the PML-N is not a name of a person but a name of one of the largest political parties.”
“There is no provision of law which bars to lead a political party by a person allegedly having [been] disqualified to become a member of the parliament,” says the reply.
Raja Zafar ul Haq also rejected all accusations levelled against the party and its leadership.
After disqualification of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court in Panama case, PML-N had appointed Senator Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan as acting President.
This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 27-Sep-2017
http://nation.com.pk/national/27-Sep-2017/ecp-serves-notice-on-party-for-not-electing-chief