ISLAMABAD: PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar has challenged the party’s intra-party elections, alleging that they were rigged and fraudulent. Babar has filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) requesting that the elections be declared null and void and that fresh polls be held as soon as possible.
Babar’s petition comes after the PTI conducted its intra-party elections on Saturday, in accordance with directives issued by the ECP. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was elected as the new party chairman after being nominated by Imran Khan.
However, the PTI has been criticized for the conduct of the elections. Babar has alleged that the party carried out a selection process aimed at throwing out party workers in order to give the reins to a few lawyers. Separately, the leaders of the country’s mainstream parties, including the PML-N and PPP, have also questioned the legitimacy of the intra-party elections.
In his petition, Babar argues that the PTI elections were not held in accordance with the ECP’s directives. He says that the party did not provide any information about the election process, such as the nomination timeline, voter lists, and election rules. He also says that the vote-counting process was not transparent and that the election results were announced before any votes were cast.
Babar says that the “fraudulent” election process has “disenfranchised” PTI members from participating in the intra-party elections. He also says that the PTI’s election symbol of the bat should be held in abeyance until the party conducts transparent polls in accordance with the law.
Babar has urged the ECP to declare the intra-party elections null and void and to issue fresh directives for holding new polls as soon as possible. He has also suggested that the ECP appoint independent third-party monitors to review and oversee the process.
In addition to Babar’s petition, various other petitions have been submitted to the ECP with similar demands. The ECP is expected to make a decision on the petitions in the coming days.
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