CEC Raja calls assembly tomorrow as PTI petitions ECP in opposition to Part 144 in Lahore – Pakistan
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has known as a gathering of the Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday (March 13) to debate the PTI’s petitions in opposition to the “unlawful imposition” of Part 144 and ban on the occasion’s rallies in Lahore.
In a tweet at present, the electoral watchdog mentioned that the assembly shall be held at 10:30am tomorrow.
Forward of its election rally in Lahore, the PTI approached the Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday in opposition to the “unlawful imposition of Part 144 in Lahore” by the caretaker Punjab authorities.
Final evening, PTI chief Imran Khan, in an obvious act of defiance, announced a contemporary rally in Lahore at present — days after the interim setup cracked down on the occasion’s March 8 election rally.
Quickly after the announcement, the district administration banned on public gatherings by the invocation of Part 144 within the Punjab capital, citing issues within the wake of a Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL) match within the metropolis.
Subsequently, the PTI approached ECP workplaces in Islamabad and Lahore and filed petitions in opposition to the interim authorities’s transfer, saying that the imposition of Part 144 needs to be declared null and void.
No ban on political activities: Mohsin Naqvi
On the other hand, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that no ban had been imposed on political activities in the city.
“All political parties are freely allowed to campaign,” he tweeted.
“We have restricted rallies and political activities for today as we have a PSL cricket match, team movements, and marathon in Lahore,” he said, adding that all these events had been planned and announced much in advance.
Petition filed in ECP Central Secretariat
In a media talk on Sunday morning, PTI leader and lawyer Babar Awan said that a petition had been filed in the Central Secretariat of the electoral body in Islamabad against the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore.
The plea, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, said that the ECP had already announced the schedule for polls in the province and permitted all the political parties to undertake activities as per the law.
However, it noted, the Punjab interim government in blatant violation of the ECO’s code of conduct and relevant orders had directed the district administration of Lahore to impose Section 144 in Lahore in a bid to stop the PTI rally in Lahore.
“This is the second time since the announcement of the election schedule, Punjab Interim Government has led to this fascist tactic to stop Pakistan’s largest political party (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) to do electoral/political activity.”
The petition recalled that on March 8, the interim government in Punjab had imposed a ban on rallies in Lahore which led to a police operation on a party worker and the death of Zille Shah — a worker who PTI claims was killed by the Punjab police in the course of the crackdown.
“The Punjab Interim Authorities/CM/Cupboard needs to repeat the identical occasions even now and this light-handedness might result in lego constitutional crises and political instability,” the petition warned.
It additional highlighted that the PTI rally was slated to start at 2pm at present whereas the PSL match within the metropolis was scheduled for 7pm. “The PTI rally will finish by 5:30pm for which the rally route is totally completely different from the PSL match.”
The applicant additionally referred to the Supreme Courtroom’s March 1 order — by which it had directed the ECP to right away maintain elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab — saying that in its judgment the apex courtroom had issued instructions to the federal authorities and interim Punjab arrange below Article 148 of the Structure.
“It’s the constitutional obligation of the Federation, when it comes to clause (3) of Article 148 ‘to make sure that the Authorities of each Province is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Structure’.
“There could be little question that this obligation consists of guaranteeing {that a} basic election to the Meeting of each Province is held, and enabled to be held in a well timed method throughout the interval set out within the Structure. This obligation is along with and applies independently of the obligation solid below Article 220 on ‘all govt authorities within the Federation and within the Provinces to help the Commissioner and the Election Fee within the discharge of his or their capabilities’,” the petition quoted the apex courtroom’s orders.
It additional quoted that “it’s the obligation of the Provincial governments, performing below the caretaker cupboards to proactively present all support and help as could also be required by the election fee”.
“The ECP is requested to take discover of this unlawful imposition of Part 144 in Lahore and the order could also be declared null and void and with out justification and PTI could also be allowed to carry an election rally as per plan,” the petition concluded.
In the meantime, in his media discuss at present, Awan mentioned that the Punjab authorities’s orders had been unconstitutional, undemocratic, and in opposition to the legislation.
He claimed that the PTI petition had been accepted and urged the ECP to satisfy its constitutional duties.
Yasmin Rashid approaches ECP regional office
Separately, PTI leader Yasmin Rashid filed a similar petition in the ECP’s regional office in Lahore, saying that the route of the party’s rally and the PSL match was completely different.
“ECP is requested to take notice of the illegal imposition of Section 144 in Lahore and the order may be declared null and void and without justification.
And the PTI may be allowed to hold the election rally as per the plan,“ it added. Subsequently, the provincial election commission assured the PTI that its petition will be sent to the chief election commissioner.
In a media talk earlier today, Rashid, flanked by PTI leader Mian Aslam Iqbal, urged supporters to stay put and maintain peace, adding that the party won’t take out the rally under it is granted permission.
She also said that the interim government had once again planned a crackdown against PTI workers today. “The ECP has stated that they have not received any directions against the rally.”
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