Connect with us

Politics

PPP decries denial of ‘arrow’ symbol to party candidates in Punjab

Published

on

  • “There is no ambiguity in this Section of the Elections Act 2017.”
  • Haider says independent candidates take advantage of “prejudices”.
  • PPP highlights prevailing trend of electoral symbol denial.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has voiced concerns over the denial of the party’s ‘arrow’ electoral symbol to the ticket holders in various constituencies of Punjab, The News reported on Tuesday.

Taj Haider, in-charge of PPP’s election monitoring cell, wrote to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to bring to notice the prevailing trend in Punjab of denial of party election symbol to the PPP Parliamentarians ticket-holders and placing them in the category of independent candidates.

“Our serious concerns over such denials may kindly be noted,” he said in the letter.

Haider said that according to Section 66 of the Elections Act 2017, “a declaration before the Returning Officer about his affiliation with a particular political party, if any, along with a certificate from the political party, showing that he is that party’s candidate from that constituency” was the only and the final requirement for “seeking allotment of a prescribed symbol”.

“There is no ambiguity in this Section of the Elections Act 2017, and it should be followed in letter and spirit,” he added. The election cell in-charge said, “You would agree sir, that the whole system of our constitutional democracy is built around the basic structure of political parties.

“Accepted that citizens have the option of contesting elections as independent candidates but, we have repeatedly experienced that the presence of independents in an elected house does open an unfortunate window for horse trading and exerting pressures on the elected independents,” he said in the letter to the CEC.

Haider said independent candidates are often elected by taking advantage of “parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices” fault lines among our citizens.

He said under Article 33 of the Constitution, the state must discourage such and similar prejudices. “Instead citizens should be encouraged to vote on the performance, policies and manifestos of political parties,” he added.

The senator said that pushing valid candidates, who are affiliated to a party, and also submitted required documents before returning officers at the time of seeking a prescribed symbol, outside the fold of that party and into the category of independents runs contrary to the provisions of Article 33 of Constitution and the necessary and sufficient requirements of Section 66 of the Election Act 2017.

He requested to the CEC that he should issue general instructions to all ROs and DROs to allot prescribed symbols under Section 66 of the Elections Act 2017, to all candidates who have at the time of seeking a prescribed symbol submitted a certificate from their party regarding their affiliation to that party.

Latest News

Sheikh Rasheed says PTI and government negotiations won’t provide any results.

Published

on

By

Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.

According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”

He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.

“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.

Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.

The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.

“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.

The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.

Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.

Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Bushra Bibi maintains bail as the IHC concludes the FIA’s petition.

Published

on

By

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.

The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.

Judicial Proceedings

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.

The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.

The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.

Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.

Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.

Continue Reading

Latest News

The Supreme Court has granted the appeal of the PTI founder for a judicial probe into the events of May 9.

Published

on

By

The Supreme Court has officially accepted the plea submitted by the PTI chairman for a judicial probe into the events of May 9 for a comprehensive hearing.

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court annulled the registrar’s office’s objections to the petition and instructed the office to allocate a case number and arrange the hearing.

The PTI chairman was represented by prominent attorney Hamid Khan, who appeared in court to argue for the petition’s admission.

The Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) already convicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in connection with the incidents on May 9 and denied his bail on eight distinct counts.

The court’s finding was delivered in a six-page written order by ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul.

The written ruling emphasized substantial evidence against the PTI founder, comprising audio and visual recordings of his directives to incite violence.

The court observed that witnesses had provided testimony on the conspiracy planned by Imran Khan at Zaman Park, where he purportedly strategized for his possible arrest by intending to disrupt state functions via his supporters.

Imran Khan’s legal counsel contended that he was in custody at the time of the incidents, proposing that bail be granted in accordance with precedents where bail was awarded in like circumstances following detention.

Nevertheless, the court rejected this argument, underscoring that the case’s nature was not a trifling issue of conspiracy or incitement.

The prosecution established that Mr. Khan had explicitly incited assaults on military and governmental facilities and had galvanized both his commanders and supporters to adhere to his directives.

The decision additionally cited the Lahore High Court’s finding regarding a prior release granted to Ijaz Chaudhry, highlighting Imran Khan’s involvement in the conspiracy. The court dismissed the defense’s challenge over the prosecution’s lack of specificity concerning the date, time, or location of the purported conspiracy, affirming that the scheme was allegedly devised on May 7 and May 9 at Zaman Park.

The prosecution asserts that undercover police officers, masquerading as PTI supporters, intercepted discussions outlining the scheme.

Continue Reading

Trending