ISLAMABAD - As the controversial Election Tribunal of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has convened its next meeting on May 4, party Chairman Imran Khan Thursday in a letter written to its head barred the tribunal from conducting any proceedings after its dissolution.
In a letter written to head of the Election Tribunal Justice (Retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed, PTI Chief Imran Khan said that any proceedings conduced by him after its dissolution could not and would not be recognised as valid.
Imran Khan wrote the letter after the tribunal held its proceedings on April 27 and also issued a fresh show cause notice to party’ Secretary General Jehangir Khan Tareen.
“Following the notification dated 24 .04.2015 for the dissolution of the Election Tribunal of the Party, I have been informed that you convened the meeting of the erstwhile Tribunal on 27.04.2015 and continued with the proceedings,” Imran Khan said, adding that this was against the party discipline and showed the party in a bad light as was apparent from various adverse comments in the national press. “I am also very surprised that in spite of my earlier intimation to you about certain renegade individuals with dubious background, you have chosen to invite them in your proceedings,” PTI chief said. Imran Khan pointed out that a senior member of the PTI Core Committee Shafqat Mehmood wrote to the tribunal raising question about its authority and validity and its decisions which Wajihuddin chose to ignore and failed to share with the other recipients of his normal communication.
Imran Khan said that if the head of the tribunal had reservations with regard to its dissolution, he could have sent his representation to him rather than acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the party.
Chairman PTI concluded advising Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed to stand down and not conduct the meeting of the erstwhile tribunal forthwith.
PTI ISSUES TICKET TO AZAM SWATI FOR SENATE SEAT
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued party ticket to its acting president Khyber Pakhtunkhaw Azam Khan Swati for the Senate seat that fell vacant due to the sad demise of the ANP lawmaker Mohammad Azam Khan Hoti and the decision is in contradiction to the previous policy of the party.
Interestingly, Azam Khan Swati had been denied ticket by PTI for the Senate elections that were held in last March on the grounds that party would not issue any Senate ticket to its office-bearers. However, this time, setting aside this argument, the party has issued ticket to Swati for the general seat of the Upper House of the Parliament.
Central Information Secretary PTI Shireen Mazari confirmed that party had issued Senate ticket to Azam Khan Swati. She said that the party took this decision with consensus.
Swati will add one more seat of Senate in the list of PTI lawmakers of the Upper House that has earlier six seats there as PTI enjoyed majority in provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This would be the second term of Swati as member of the Senate because previously he remained the member of the house on a ticket of JUI-F from KP. Later, he had resigned due to his differences with the party leadership.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has separately issued a notification regarding schedule of the election on the general seat of Senate from KP and the May 13 would be the polling day.
IMRAN’S STATEMENT BREACH OF JC DIRECTIVE: PERVAIZ
APP adds: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Thursday said that Imran Khan’s statement that Judicial Commission’s verdict would result in occurrence of election in 2015 was not only a violation of clear directives of Judicial Commission but also tantamount to insult of a higher judicial forum.
In a statement, he urged the Judicial Commission to take notice of Imran’s statement.
He said that Imran makes tall claims of justice and transparency but his statement has shown that he wants a decision of his choice from the commission.
Pervaiz Rashid said that before Judicial Commission announced any decision or give any kind of recommendations, Imran has given his own decision which was a murder of justice.
He said instead of announcing decision on the sub judice matter he should act to implement justice (R) Wajihuddin’s recommendation on rigging, irregularities, malpractices in PTI party elections.
This he said smacks of double standards and double talk by Imran Khan who demand that not only alleged rigging in 2013 election should be investigated but those responsible for it should also be identified and punished.
But in the case of rigging proved in the party election, he has simply appointed a new Chief Election Commissioner and allowed those responsible for rigging to circumvent investigation.
He has thus obstructed justice and acted against his own principle of punishing the guilty and taking the matter to its logical conclusion, Pervaiz Rashid added.