ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to appear on July 4 in a plea against submission of assurance affidavits from party ticket hopefuls.
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner heard the plea against PTI’s act of seeking assurance on affidavits from ticket hopefuls for the upcoming general elections.
PTI Leader Mulk Munir a ticket hopeful had filed the petition.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that PTI had sought assurance on affidavits from applicants for party tickets affirming that the candidates will not leave the party or contest elections as independent candidates if they are refused tickets for the 2018 general elections.
ECP Punjab member Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi remarked that “Political parties have always issued tickets based on these conditions”.
Queshi to this questioned if other parties had sought similar assurance affidavits. To this Munir’s counsel responded that “All parties are seeking assurance affidavits but they are illegal and against their manifestos”.
The petitioner’s counsel asserted that no political party could stop a candidate from contesting polls as an independent candidate.
The bench after hearing the plea arguments adjourned the proceedings until July 4, summoning Khan to appear before the commission.