Intra-party elections case: Gohar demands appointments of new CEC, two members

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has again demanded that the appointments of new chief election commissioner and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) be made forthwith, without any further delay.

Speaking to the media outside the ECP headquarters after PTI intra-party elections case hearing, he said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was yet to forward his nominations for three ECP slots.

Gohar Ali Khan demanded of the PM to give his nominations for appointments on three ECP slots without any more delay. He said that the PTI held the “most transparent” intra-party elections but the ECP was not issuing the related certificate to the political party in acceptance of the intra-party elections.

Earlier, the PTI chairman appeared before a three-member ECP bench headed by CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja in connection with intra-party polls case hearing.

The defence side urged the bench to be given time to present arguments in the case. The PTI has submitted its written response to the bench in this case, but needs time to present arguments, Gohar Khan maintained.

The bench accepted the party chief’s request, and adjourned the case till 4 March, directing the defence side to present arguments on the given date.

It is worth mentioning here that the five-year terms of the CEC, and two ECP members; Nisar Ahmed Durrani (Sindh) and Shah Muhammad Jatoi (Balochistan) ended this 26 January. But, following an amendment in Article 215(1) in the controversial 26th Amendment last October, the three ECP officials are able to continue on their official positions till their replacements are in place.

The PTI leadership including the party chief, and Omar Ayub Khan, the Opposition Leader in National Assembly, have repeatedly demanded the appointments of new CEC and two ECP members.

The NA opposition leader also wrote a letter to Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a parliamentary committee on the appointment of new CEC.

In accordance with Article 213(2A) and (2B), and Article 218(2)(b) of the Constitution, the PM, in consultation with NA opposition leader, forwards three names for appointment of CEC to a parliamentary committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person.

The ECP, under its present management, has faced massive public criticism over electoral body’s alleged failure in tackling crucial electoral matters, especially those concerning PTI, including the intra-party elections case.

The issue of intra-party polls has been lingering since June 2022 with ECP having rejected the legality of these elections thrice allegedly out of politically motivated reasons.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025