F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The by- elections in one national and three provincial assembly constituencies would be held on October 9, 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday announced.
This was decided in a meeting chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to conduct bye elections in NA 157 Multan IV, PP 139 Sheikhupura, PP 241 Bahawalnagar V, and PP 209, Khanewal on October 9, 2022. The meeting also expressed hoped that the services of law enforcement agencies including Police, Pakistan Army, Rangers, FC would be available for smooth conduct of bye elections.
Regarding the suspension of ECP’s de-notification of PTI members of the National Assembly by Islamabad High Court (IHC), the meeting was apprised that the IHC had clarified that the verdict regarding suspension of de notification would only apply on the petitioner, PTI MNA Abdul Shakoor Shad.
The meeting directed ECP Secretary to get copies of IHC’s verdict, and necessary clarification, so that the elections’ date could be decided in these nine constituencies. The next meeting of ECP would be held on September 14 in this regard. The commission directed provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan to submit a report regarding Local Government elections in some of the remaining districts within a one week.
ECP reserves verdict in contempt case against Imran
ISLAMABAD (INP): The Election Commission of Pakistan has reserved its verdict in the contempt case against PTI top leaders including its Chief Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar.
A four-member bench of the ECP headed by Nisar Durrani conducted the proceedings on Monday. The PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the commission. He contended that the ECP did not specify the violation purportedly committed by the PTI leaders in its notices. The commission, however, said that it had specified the violation committed by the PTI leaders. On this, the PTI lawyer alleged that the notice was not issued by the ECP adding that the ECP could not issue notices. He said the notice was very ambiguous.
On this, the ECP member asked him to first submit the PTI leaders’ replies on the notices then the commission would hear him out. Faisal Ch, however, reminded the commission that the high court had already barred it from issuing the final order in the contempt proceedings.
The ECP member said that they were not issuing the final order. The lawyer also raised objection to the ECP bench saying that ECP member Nisar Durrani was mentioned in the speech of PTI leaders and ‘a member who somehow relates to the case, cannot sit in the bench’.
During the hearing, the PTI lawyer submitted Fawad Ch and Asad Umar’s replies. The commission said that it would announce its verdict after examining the replies and if Imran also submitted his reply today, it would proclaim its verdict today. In his reply submitted to the commission, former information minister and PTI leader Fawad Ch said that Article 19 of the Constitution provides right of freedom of speech to every citizen.
