Refusing to suspend the ‘stay’ granted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the case of election of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) president, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday disposed of the petition filed by the party Secretary General Kamil Ali Agha, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During the hearing of the petition, Justice Shahid Kareem directed Agha to again approach the ECP. “The election commission is an independent institution; the court cannot interfere in its affairs,” he remarked.

Counsel for the petitioner, on the other hand, prayed to the court to let election be held since its schedule had already been announced. “All we can do is not to announce the result of the election,” he added.  

However, the judge disagreed with him.

Five days back, (Friday, August 5, 2022), the ECP while suspending the schedule announced by the election commission of the PML-Q for intra-party elections, said that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would remain the party president.

The ECP also issued a notice to the party’s election commission.  

A four-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the petition filed by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain seeking cancellation of the elections.

PML-Q’s intra-party elections were earlier scheduled to be held on August 10.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf