ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has decided to file a judicial reference against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan.
According to details, the decision was taken during a meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership held with Imran Khan in the chair.
On the occasion, the participants expressed their concerns over the meeting between members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a government delegation. “CEC Sikandar Raja Sultan violated the ECP’s code of conduct,” the PTI leadership said.
The meeting also decided to bring no-confidence motion against the election commission in two provincial assemblies – Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, the PTI Chairman has directed the legal experts to start proceedings.
Earlier in the day, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said his party was considering filing a “judicial reference” against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja for what he described as the “violation of the election and judicial code of conduct”.
“Two days ago, a meeting was held between the Election Commission of Pakistan and the government. In it, they discussed the PTI funding case,” he said, claiming that it was a “gross violation” of electoral rules.
Chaudhry was referring to the recently-held meeting between the ECP and a delegation of the ruling alliance in which the former had urged the electoral body to release the verdict in the prohibited funding case against the PTI at the earliest.
The case, previously called the foreign funding case, was filed by Akbar S. Babar and has been pending since Nov 14, 2014. Babar, who was a founding member of the PTI but is no longer associated with it, had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party’s funding from Pakistan and abroad.
The ECP had reserved its verdict in the case last month.
In the past few days, the government and its allies have been demanding that the electoral body immediately announce its verdict in the case.
At a press conference in Islamabad today, Chaudhry said: “The ECP chairman and members receive salaries equal to high court and Supreme Court judges. Even their perks and privileges are similar to judges.
“Thus, the code of conduct that applies to them is that of the superior courts,” Chaudhry said. “Never does a judge of the superior court meet the respondents of a case he is hearing. He does not hold discussions over it.”
The PTI leader went on to say that the CEC’s meeting with the government was also against the judiciary’s code of conduct.
“Ignoring these rules, they [the CEC] met a respondent in a pending case and assured them that a decision will be taken,” he claimed, adding that the CEC even issued a press release later.
Hence, Chaudhry claimed, this was a “fit case” of proceedings against the election commissioner and officials which would be sent to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.
‘ECP responsible for economic crisis’
The PTI leader also alleged that the ECP was responsible for the economic crisis the country was mired in today.
Recalling the SC’s decision on the National Assembly deputy speaker’s controversial ruling on the no-confidence movement against Imran Khan he said: “Back then, the CJP had called the heads of all the parties and it was clear that the SC had the point of view of going towards elections.
“But if you remember, it was the CEC who had said that elections could not be held until October. Today, the crisis in the country is because of that statement of the ECP,” he said.
Chaudhry said that ECP’s decision at that time “strengthened” the incumbent government.
“Today, Pakistan’s currency is the second-worst after Ukraine — a country at war. This is the situation of our economy today and ECP has played the greatest role in this,” he stated.
Taking aim at the government, Chaudhry said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had lost his majority in all four provinces, claiming that the federal government had lost all its power.
“He is practically just the PM of CDA (Islamabad’s Capital Development Authority). Because of this, he can’t take any decisions and the Army chief has to go and talk to the IMF (International Monetary Programme).”
Chaudhry claimed that the government had isolated itself in the world, both diplomatically and financially.
He added that the only reason the government was not going towards elections was that it was afraid PTI would win with “two-thirds majority”.
“This is a childish attitude and it will destroy the country.”
PTI National Council meeting
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of the party’s National Council on Monday.
According to details, issues pertaining to party bylaws and the current political situation will be discussed in the meeting. Members of the PTI National Council from across the country would attend the meeting on Monday.
