ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the ongoing crackdown on its leaders and workers to ensure an atmosphere for holding of free, fair, and transparent elections.

In a statement, after the party’s core committee meeting, the PTI urged the apex court to ensure that measures are undertaken for conducting free, fair, and transparent elections, as required by the constitution.

“The date of February 8, 2024 has been fixed for holding of the general polls after consultations between the Election Commission of Pakistan and the President in supervision by the Supreme Court. For the rule of law, ‘restoration of democracy’, and peaceful transition of power, holding of fair, fair and transparent election is the basic constitutional requirement,” read the PTI core committee statement.

“The interference by State institutions in the politics, in violation of the Constitution, is creating the worst distortion in the electoral process,” it alleged, adding that the “unlawful” crackdown continued against PTI leaders and workers across the country.

The PTI also accused the ECP and the caretaker government of failing to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities and being “key facilitators” in the agenda of “deviation” from the Constitution.

The PTI core committee demanded that the “illegal” raids, arrests, harassment, and enforced disappearances of party activists and leaders across the country be immediately halted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023