ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday instructed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to remove the reservations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party regarding the elections’ campaign and disposed of the plea. The court asked the ECP to hold a meeting with the PTI’s lawyers on the same day to listen to their reservations. The court also instructed the Attorney General of Pakistan to facilitate the meeting.
A three-member bench of the top court, headed by Acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, heard the petition of PTI with regard to the level playing field for the general elections. Also, the Supreme Court directed the ECP to ensure that all political parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its candidates have an equal opportunity to participate in the upcoming general elections 2024.
In this connection, the Commission was also told that the PTI or for that matter any person representing any other political party in the electoral process may approach the ECP today (Friday) at 03:00 pm for the redressal for their grievance relating to the elections. The ECP was further directed to attend to these grievances on urgent basis and resolve them expeditiously in order to ensure that the electoral process remains smooth, open, transparent, free and fair. Let this exercise be completed by ECP promptly without disturbing the timelines given in the Election Programme because voters must have faith in the electoral process for our democracy to succeed.
In this matter, the PTI requested the Court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure free and fair elections in the country by providing a level playing field for its leaders and workers.
The Court said that the importance of free and fair elections, and maintaining a level playing field during elections, cannot be overstated. Free and fair elections provide legitimacy to the elected government and maintain the trust of the public in the democratic process.
It added that a level playing field is essential for healthy competition, ensuring that elections are a true reflection of the people’s choice, rather than the result of manipulation or coercion. It is important to remember that “organising free and fair elections is more important than the results itself.”
It is alleged that members of PTI, upon filing their nomination papers under the announced Election Programme, are being arrested, harassed and their nomination papers are being snatched from them which is blatant abuse of a fair and free electoral process. The petitioner’s counsel informed the bench that they have approached the ECP under the Elections Act, 2017 by filing complaints, however, there has been no response on behalf of the Commission.
In pursuant of the Court direction, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and the Representatives of ECP appeared before the Court. The said Representatives at the very outset submitted that certain complaints have been received by the ECP today (Friday) morning, which will be immediately attended to.
Both the attorney general and the ECP representative assured the Court that elections will be held freely and fairly as mandated under the Constitution. They further assured that the grievance of the members of the PTI or any other political party received by the ECP will be decided and resolved on urgent basis and in accordance with law and where any action is required to be taken then that would be taken so that every political party in the country enjoys a level playing field and that the elections are conducted freely and fairly.