PTI announces 'legal battle' against the election commission

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announce it was initiating a legal battle against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), its members and the chief election commissioner.

As its first move, the party will file a reference in the Supreme Judicial Council against one of the commission's four members - each from one province.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, while talking to the media outside the election commission building, said against the ECP member from Sindh Nisar Durrani would be filed by Senator Faisal Vawda, who also belongs to PTI.

He added that next, the party would file a similar reference against the chief election commissioner.

"We [the PTI] has only [two] ways, political and legal struggle, to fight the commison," he said.

He said with this reference, the party was beginning "legal battle" against the commission."

He added a similar reference againt CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja would also be brought in the SJC.

Chaudhry said the PTI leadership and the party's Chairman Imran Khan has completely lost the faith in the incumbent chief election commissioner.

Talking about the base of the reference, Vawda said the barbarism and injustice committed against him was unprecedented.

Vawda said there were other lawmakers facing similar cases as him, but the were meted out a different treatment.

He said the commission decided the case against him not on evidence but on newspaper headlines.

"The election commission bypassed the supreme court's rulings that it cannot pass the ruling as it is not a judicial forum.

Vawda alleged Durrani, despite having a constitutional position sought favor from a political party.

"He [Durrani] was holding a constitutional position but he took a government job as Sindh Law College principal and didn't even declare it," said Vawda.

He added that the PTI was filing a reference with the SJC as the party has "blind trust in the supreme court."

Vawda advised Balochistan ECP member to start listening the song Jhoom Barabar Jhoom as his next press conference would be against him.

He also vowed to expose the chief election commissioner.

Vawda's disqualification

On February 9, the ECP disqualified Vawda as Senator for hiding his dual nationality. It said Vawda had submitted a false undertaking during the 2018 general elections when he was elected a member National Assembly from Karachi.

Vawda later filed an appeal with the Islamabad High Court. The court ruled Vawda’s conduct became the reason for his disqualification.

The court remarked that there was no reason to interfere in the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The proceedings against Vawda began after a news report revealed that Vawda filed his nomination papers for the 2018 General Election on June 11, 2018, when he still held US nationality.

He renounced the citizenship later on June 22, 2018, according to The News.

Later, a petition was filed for his disqualification under section Article 62(1)(f). The Article deems it necessary for all members of Parliament to be ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’. They are prohibited from concealing information about their assets.