ECP issues notices over election of Shehbaz as PML-N’s president

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday issued notices to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and acting General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal on complaint pertaining to the election of Shehbaz’s as party president.

PML-N Islamabad chapter General Secretary Shujaur Rehman challenged the election of former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif as PML-N president in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday. Rehman took a stance in his application that the intra-party election was illegal.

A three-member bench headed by member Sindh Abdul Ghafoor heard the arguments of Shujaur Rehman’s lawyer Syed Zafar Ali Shah. Shah argued that the party whose foundation is laid on corruption cannot contest free and fair elections.

Shujaur Rehman demanded the ECP to seek the record of the intra-party election from all union, provincial and national councils.

The PML-N office holder also said that the procedure adopted by the PML-N for the selection of Shehbaz Sharif as party president was not acceptable to him and many other leaders.

Sources further said that the complaint has created an uncertain environment within the PML-N, adding that many of the party leaders have endorsed Shujaur Rehman’s stance.

He requested the ECP to seek all the record of the party president’s selection from PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal.

Moreover, the ECP has also adjourned the hearing of three miscellaneous applications of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) till July 9.

PAT General Secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Makhdoom Niaz and Rais Abdul Wahid appeared before the commission.  Gandapur argued that the PML-N was listed under the name of Nawaz Sharif and now he had been removed from the party chairmanship, therefore, his name should be removed.

He further argued that the PML-N is bagging vote under the name of Nawaz Sharif, adding that a disqualified person is running the election campaign and he should be barred from doing so.