ECP responds to SC’s rejection of plea in PTI reserved seats case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has responded to the Supreme Court’s (SC) clarification in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reserved seats case, dismissing claims that Barrister Gohar Khan has been officially recognized as the party’s chairman.

According to sources, the ECP emphasized that the PTI’s internal election dispute remains unresolved, with no final decision made.

The ECP maintained that it has consistently strived to resolve the matter expeditiously, but the PTI has repeatedly employed stalling tactics. Earlier, the SC rejected the ECP’s request for guidance on the verdict, labeling it a delaying maneuver.

In a majority verdict, eight Supreme Court judges – including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, and others – ruled that the ECP’s request was an attempt to prolong the case.

The judges stated that the ECP had previously acknowledged Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as PTI’s chairman and could not now seek guidance.

The SC order read: “The commission’s request for clarification is a contrived device, and they cannot take contradictory stances to suit their purposes. The ECP must resolve the matter without further delay.”

In essence, the ECP and SC are at odds over the PTI’s leadership and reserved seats, with the SC accusing the ECP of using delaying tactics and the ECP insisting that the PTI’s internal election dispute remains unresolved.