The Peshawar High Court has granted acceptance to the Election Commission’s request for a review concerning the PTI’s intra-party elections, thereby lifting the injunction.
During the High Court proceedings, a hearing was convened to review the Election Commission’s order regarding the PTI’s intra-party elections and their election symbol case.
Representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Qazi Anwar contended that the order from December 26 hasn’t been put into effect yet. Justice Ejaz Khan observed that this implies the injunction didn’t pose any significant challenges. He pointed out two things: first, the Election Commission lacks the authority to withdraw the injunction here, and secondly, there are no obstacles to conducting elections under this order.
The Election Commission’s legal representative argued that they were restrained by an injunction against their order and asserted their right to file a writ against it, stating that this case should have been directed to the Supreme Court instead.
Qazi Anwar, the PTI lawyer, argued that the Election Commission doesn’t hold the power to nullify intra-party elections. PTI had previously participated in the 2013 and 2018 elections under the bat symbol.
The Peshawar High Court, in a considered decision, approved the Election Commission’s application and withdrew the injunction. The court reinstated the Election Commission’s decision from December 22.
It’s important to note that the Election Commission invalidated PTI’s intra-party elections and revoked their election symbol. Consequently, the Peshawar High Court issued an injunction on December 26, prompting objections from the Election Commission for not having heard their stance before the injunction was issued.