ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) retracted their appeal on Monday, alleging that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had failed to guarantee an even playing field in advance of the forthcoming elections and so was in contempt of court.
With the appeal, PTI petitioned the Supreme Court on December 26 of last year. But once the petition was withdrawn, the Supreme Court decided on the case today.
Latif Khosa, a PTI attorney, informed CJP Isa during today’s session that his party will take this issue up with the people’s court.
“We would prefer not to litigate this matter in your court, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. Many thanks for that,” Khosa remarked.
He said that the party was compelled to withdraw from more than 230 seats as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision on January 13, which stripped the previous ruling party of its “bat” symbol.
“Do you want to continue this case or not?” inquired CJP Isa. Khosa responded by saying he had been told to rescind the plea.
“We requested an even playing field when we came to your court. He declared, “You snatched PTI’s field. The verdict that was announced on January 13 at 11:30 p.m. shattered the PTI.”
Khosa contended that although the ECP is only able to remove the election emblem, one of the parties is being expelled from the legislature.
“All of the PTI candidates will now contest as independent candidates, which will spread confusion.”
The PTI’s attorney also informed the court that the leader of Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriyati (PTI-N), with whom they had arranged an agreement, was also “picked up and forced to hold a press conference.”.
“If you don’t accept the verdict, then there’s nothing the [court] can do,” CJP Isa stated at this point.
He went on to say that although the PTI had been repeatedly ordered by the ECP to hold intra-party polls, they had yet to be held.
Khosa was admonished by CJP: “You are destroying all the institutions of Pakistan.”
Ahead of the February 8 elections, Justice Musarrat Hilali expressed concerns during the hearing about the ECP’s behavior and how it handled PTI-related issues.
“You can’t trust the Election Commission. “It is trailing one side,” she said in the hearing regarding the PTI’s appeal to withdraw its demand for equal playing fields.
Judge Hilali then brought up the question of whether or not the electoral body can see any more parties. “Are other parties not noticed by the Election Commission?
