Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled on Thursday that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will continue to serve as president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

The top electoral body issued the 16-page verdict, which was reserved on March 22, on a petition filed by Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain seeking removal of Chaudhry Shujaat as party head. It said the amendments made to the party constitution were made in violation of the law. The ECP has declared the Wajahat’s petition as null and void.

“As observed in paragraph 28 above, the amendment had no authorization of the Party Leader as Ch. Wajahat Hussain was not an elected President of the PML. The status of Ch. Wajahat Hussain was of a stranger being not party head of the PML. The documents submitted on his behalf were liable to rejection instead of return,” reads the ECP ruling. It added amendment in the constitution of a political party “can only be carried out in accordance with the procedure laid down in its constitution as the Act ibid (section 201(f)(v)) stipulates. In terms of Article 136 of the PML constitution, amendment in PML constitution could only be effectuated/made by the Council of Pakistan Muslim League by at least two-third majority of the members present, which is not the case here”.