ECP releases schedule on 9 NA seats vacant after PTI resignations
Imran Khan announces to contest on all nine seats that were vacant due to PTI resignations. Also, Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the National Assembly speaker, its secretary, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a petition filed by the PTI against “piecemeal” acceptance of its lawmakers’ resignations.
In a big blow to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the schedule of bye-elections on the seats vacated by the resigned members of PTI.
الیکشن کمیشن نے قومی اسمبلی کی خالی نشستوں پر الیکشن شیڈول جاری کر دیا۔پولنگ 25 ستمبر 2022 کو ھوگی۔تفصیلات کے لیے شیڈول دیکھیں #ECP pic.twitter.com/2ujEb2O3pM
— Haroon Shinwari, Spokesperson ECP (@HaroonS2021) August 5, 2022
ECP said bye-elections on 9 general seats of the National Assembly will be held on September 25.
In a notification, ECP said that nomination papers can be submitted from August 10 to August 13 while nomination papers will be scrutinized on August 17.
#ECP pic.twitter.com/voT4XIfeCg
— Election Commission of Pakistan (OFFICIAL) (@ECP_Pakistan) July 29, 2022
The de-notified MNAs were Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Ali, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Farrukh Habib, Ijaz Ahmed Shah, Jameel Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Akram Cheema and Abdul Shakur Shaad.
Dr Shireen Mazari and Shandana Gulzar Khan, elected on special seats, were also de-notified.
Earlier on Thursday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the National Assembly speaker, its secretary, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a petition filed by the PTI against “piecemeal” acceptance of its lawmakers’ resignations.
The PTI has argued that the resignations of all its 123 MNAs had been accepted months ago and the present National Assembly speaker had no “lawful authority or jurisdiction” to verify the resignations as former deputy speaker Qasim Suri had already approved them.
All PTI lawmakers, except dissidents, resigned en masse on April 11, two days after former prime minister Imran Khan was ousted from the top office after losing a confidence motion in parliament.