PTI calls for judicial, electoral review of PML-N president election

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has requested Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to examine Nawaz Sharif’s unopposed election as president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

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A PTI spokesperson stated that both the ECP and the Supreme Court should scrutinise Sharif’s election using the same standards applied to PTI’s elections, local news channel reported on Wednesday. The spokesperson emphasised that the nation is closely observing those in power and will hold accountable anyone who strays from the Constitution and the law.

These comments follow Nawaz Sharif’s re-election as PML-N president, six years after a court ruling removed him from office. Sharif, a former three-time prime minister, lost his position as prime minister in 2017 and as party president in 2018 due to the Panama Papers decision. He was re-elected as party president without opposition, as no other party members submitted nominations for the role.

PTI’s concerns relate to its own experiences with intra-party elections, which faced scrutiny from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This scrutiny resulted in PTI losing its “bat” electoral symbol ahead of the February 8 polls. PTI conducted new intra-party elections on March 3, which the ECP has also questioned regarding the party’s organisational status after the five-year term lapsed.

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The PTI spokesperson criticised the PML-N as being under the control of the Sharif family and dismissed the propaganda against PTI founder Imran Khan. The spokesperson asserted that Khan and the party are defenders of national interests and committed to opposing corrupt governance.

Additionally, the spokesperson dismissed the PML-N’s May 28 “Youm-e-Takbeer” celebrations as politically motivated, accusing the government of exploiting the national atomic programme for political gain.