Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) jurisdiction to hear the petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain against his removal as the party president and the intra-party elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

A five-member bench of the election commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the petition.  

Speaking during the hearing, Chaudhry Pervaiz’s lawyer argued that the ECP was not authorized to hear the case, and that his client had already challenged its jurisdiction in a court. “Therefore, it would be better if the bench makes sure it is supposed to hear the case,” he added. 

A member ECP, on the occasion, told him to file an application in this regard since there was a proper procedure for that.   

Following that, Punjab CM’s counsel filed an application.  

The CEC, on the occasion, remarked that first of all the bench would hear the application filed by Chaudhry Pervaiz, and adjourned hearing of the case until day after tomorrow (Thursday, August 18, 2022). 

Speaking on the occasion, PML-Q leader Kamil Ali Agha said that the ECP’s job was not to order that elections should not be held. “On the contrary, its job is to facilitate the elections,” he asserted. 

Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said that his father Chaudhry Shujaat was constitutionally the PML-Q president. 

Reporter: Usman Khan