LAHORE: The Mili Muslim League (MML) has scored two major points in their back-and-forth with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) only two days before the monumental NA-4 by-election in Peshawar.
The new political party had much to celebrate as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) accepted their petition against the ECP, and the returning officer of the NA-4 constituency officially apologised to the party for calling it “proscribed” in a letter to the League-backed independent candidate of NA-4 Haji Liaqat Ali.
The legal petition in question had been filed on behalf of the MML in the high court, and was referenced against the Ministry of Interior for their letter to the ECP, as well as the ECP, itself for not allowing the MML to be registered as a political party.
Officials from the MML, speaking to Pakistan Today, argued that they were a political party formed under Article 17 of the constitution of Pakistan, not a “bus or truck that needs registration.”
They further contested that they needed no registration, and that the ECP had been portraying the simple process of enlistment as registration, adding that all of the legal requirements, including bank accounts, manifesto, etc., had been submitted.
And while the MML’s manifesto is less hardline than a lot of enlisted political parties, the main fear was that this was an offshoot of the Jammat-ud-Dawwa, which is why the interior ministry had recommended to the ECP that the MML not be formally allowed to contest polls.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, MML Information Secretary Taabish Qayum said that his party had gained a great victory today, and, just like the RO of NA-4 had apologised, the ECP would also “soon have to beg forgiveness from the MML” for their slander.
“The MML is a party that believes in the system and the judiciary. The current situation we are in is because of the PML-N and an election commission that is biased and not independent,” he added.
He went on to say that the courts would exonerate the MML, adding that the PML-N and interior ministry would have nowhere to go afterwards.
As for the returning officer’s apology, the MML accepted it, despite the initial Rs100mn defamation notice.
The RO, in his response, claimed to the notice that the word “proscribed” had been used as a result of “a clerical error.”
MML is a true party according to two nation theory. People’s should support them. I stand with them.
Comments are closed.