The latest Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision in relation to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) seems to have inflicted irreparable harm on the party’s electoral prospects.

The ECP process to scrutinize the nomination papers filed by candidates seeking to participate in the Feb 8 elections has literally knocked the PTI out from the election much before the nation goes to the polls as almost 90 percent of nomination papers from important leaders, including Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Illahi, are said to have been rejected.

Although the party candidates can approach an appellate tribunal till Jan 3 against the decisions of the respective returning officers, the reversal of all the decisions appears to be unlikely.

In other words, the ouster of an incarcerated Imran Khan, whose nomination papers were filed from three different National Assembly constituencies, from the contest is all but certain because of a variety of reasons, including the May 9 incidents.

The party, which is now being led by a competent barrister, has its work cut out to finish the election medley relay on an impressive note. This now appears to be a herculean task, to say the least.

The situation has certainly added to the prospects of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and newly-formed Punjab-based Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) in particular. Of course, more and more ‘independent’ candidates in Punjab and KPK will be able to cash in on the opportunity the woes of a seemingly beleaguered PTI have thrown up for them.

The disapproval or rejection of Imran Khan’s nomination papers was expected, it is indeed a highly disappointing development from PTI’s perspective, nevertheless.

Kashif Minhas, (Rawalpindi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024