Pak Ex-PM Announces To Hold Intra-Party Polls Again Ahead Of Election

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced to hold intra-party polls in his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, weeks after its earlier attempt was annulled by the country's top electoral body leading to loss of party symbol of cricket bat ahead of the February 8 general elections.

Incarcerated Imran Khan and his party colleagues have been facing numerous hurdles in Pakistan ahead of the general elections on February 8. Apart from snatching away of his party's election symbol, Mr Khan himself and his senior colleague Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been sentenced to imprisonment in multiple cases and their nomination papers rejected too.

On Wednesday, Mr Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was also sentenced in a corruption case along with the former prime minister.

The PTI party was asked by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold fresh intra-party election last year, which it did, but the same was challenged by some disgruntled PTI workers. After a bitter court battle, that was annulled and the ECP deprived the party of a common symbol of cricket bat.

On Thursday, with general elections barely a week away, the party announced to hold intra-party elections on February 5, the central media department of the party said in a statement.

The new intra-party election scheduled for February 5 comes too late as the party has already fielded independent candidates for the next week's elections.

The party's spokesperson Raoof Hasan has been appointed as the federal election commissioner.

"The PTI Federal Election Commission is pleased to announce the Election Schedule for the Intra-party Elections (IPE) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf to elect the Chairman, Central and Provincial Organisations," the statement read.

All members of the party, registered till January 31, will be allowed to vote for their preferred panel or chairman candidate at designated locations across Pakistan, it said.

The members can also record their vote through the 'Raabta Application Intra Party Election Module.' The results of the intra-party election will be officially announced on February 6.

Earlier, the ECP on November 23 last year nullified PTI's intra-party elections conducted in June 2022, deeming it highly objectionable." The party hurriedly organised another election on December 2 in Peshawar, in which, the party said, all the candidates were elected unanimously.

However, the polls were challenged and the ECP after hearing the pleas ruled on December 22 that the latest intra-party polls were invalid. The party was then also deprived of the bat as a symbol.

The ECP ruling was challenged in the Peshawar High Court and later in the Supreme Court which after, hearing the plea on January 13 upheld the ECP's judgment.

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