ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of an appeal filed by Awaam Pakistan against its delisting over an alleged failure to hold intra-party elections.
A four-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the appeal filed by party chief and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who appeared before the commission in person.
The ECP had delisted Awaam Pakistan on August 7 after noting that the party had failed to provide evidence that it had conducted intra-party elections.
Appearing before the commission, Abbasi said the ECP had directed the party on January 7 to conduct intra-party elections within 60 days.
He maintained that the elections were held within the stipulated period and that the relevant record was submitted to the ECP.
According to Abbasi, elections for the National General Council and national office-bearers were conducted between March 26 and April 2, with the results and detailed documentation submitted to the commission on April 6.
He said 12,846 party members participated in the elections, describing the process as democratic, transparent and fully compliant with the Elections Act, 2017.
Abbasi also rejected any suggestion that the party had violated provisions concerning amendments to its constitution. He alleged that the ECP issued the delisting order without giving the party an opportunity to be heard.
CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja told Abbasi that the party could submit any record it had in support of its position. Abbasi responded that Awaam Pakistan would provide the relevant documents.
After hearing the arguments, the commission reserved its verdict on whether the appeal was maintainable.
Awaam Pakistan was launched in 2024 by Abbasi after his departure from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The former premier had said the new political platform would focus on economic reforms, constitutionalism and good governance.
In a letter to the CEC on August 12, Abbasi described the delisting as arbitrary, unwarranted and unprecedented, arguing that the party had been taken by surprise and denied an opportunity to explain its position.
Under Section 202 of the Elections Act, 2017, political parties seeking enlistment with the ECP are required to submit certified results of intra-party elections, their constitution, funding details and a membership list containing at least 2,000 members.
Section 208 empowers the ECP to issue a show-cause notice or impose a fine over failure to conduct intra-party elections. Continued non-compliance can lead to cancellation of a party’s enlistment.
Meanwhile, the ECP adjourned until September 15 three cases concerning the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and directed it to submit replies to the commission’s objections.
The cases relate to objections concerning PkMAP’s intra-party elections, statement of accounts and amendments to its constitution.
Counsel for PkMAP told the commission that the party had challenged an ECP order before the Balochistan High Court. He said a hearing scheduled for August 26 could not take place and had been rescheduled for September 21.
ECP officials clarified that the Balochistan High Court had granted a stay only concerning the issue of allowing 180 days for intra-party elections and that no stay existed in the other two matters.
CEC Raja directed PkMAP to submit replies to the commission’s objections, warning that failure to do so could result in a unilateral decision.
The commission accepted the lawyer’s request for additional time and adjourned the cases until September 15.
