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PTI chief submits petition against ECP’s decision to allow Gulalai retain NA seat
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan submitted a petition in Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision which allowed MNA Ayesha Gulalai to retain her National Assembly’s membership.
PTI chief, in his petition on Wednesday, claimed that Gulalai had violated party laws and should be deseated as she had abstained from voting for the PTI’s chosen candidate Sheikh Rasheed for the office of prime minister after the ouster of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif.
It said that Imran had issued a show-cause notice and gave Gulalai ample time to explain herself following her August press conference.
However, the ECP had ruled that Gulalai had not been given reasonable opportunity to explain herself, and the appellant had failed to prove that she had resigned and her absence does not amount to abstention.
Though Gulalai claimed that she did not participate in the vote due to an illness, the PTI had presented a record of television talk shows on which she had appeared at the time of the session to speak about her decision to leave the party.
She made the announcement moments before the election of a new prime minister, citing “ill-treatment” of women in the party as the reason behind her decision, claiming that she had communicated her grievances to the party leadership but no action had been taken.
It is crucial to note that a committee was also formed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to investigate her allegations against the PTI chief.
