PTI for avoiding any overt, covert bid to delay polls for a day

Lawyers bodies’ demands a testament of PTI’s stance regarding ECP, CEC: PTI spokesperson

Advises civil society, lawyers organizations to focus energies to ensure free polls on Feb 8

ISLAMABAD, DEC 20 /DNA/ – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson stressed the need for avoiding any overt or covert attempts to sabotage the scheduled general elections, saying that Bar Councils and Bar Associations’ declarations supported and validated the long-standing position of PTI regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Election Commissioner.

However, he added that the party would not tolerate any bid to delay the long-awaited general elections even for a single day beyond the fixed February 8, 2024 date.

In his reaction to the statements of Bar Councils and Bar Associations raising questions about the impartiality of the CEC, PTI spokesperson said that most of the contents of their declarations fully supported and validated the stance of PTI pertaining to the CEC.

He contended that PTI had been highlighting the unconstitutional and illegal decisions of the CEC during the last four years in general and the last two years in particular.

PTI spokesperson stated that PTI’s stance on the issues ranging from the appointments of members in the ECP to the biases of the CEC and discriminatory actions by the ECP was very clear and unambiguous from day one.

He went on to say that Senator Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhary’s pending reference in the Supreme Judicial Council against the CEC was a clear proof of PTI stance’s stand against him.

PTI spokesperson recalled that after the dissolution of the Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), PTI had been the fiercest critic of all attempts to delay the polls from the constitutionally prescribed time limits in both provinces.
He stated that PTI was also taking the lead role in resisting the electoral watchdog’s strategy to avoid holding elections within the constitutionally mandated timeframe of 90 days.

PTI spokesperson emphasized that during the past 20 months, PTI had been inviting lawyers’ organizations and councils to join hands with PTI to resist the unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic agenda of the ECP.

He contended that despite the entire history of the biased role of the electoral body, especially of the CEC, PTI was not in favor of even one day’s delay in the polls set for February 8, 2024.

PTI spokesperson made it clear that the interest of the country and the nation lie in the free, fair and transparent elections, which was not visible in the present of the incumbent CEC.

However, he suggested that the civil society, especially the lawyers’ organizations, should focus their energies on achieving the main objective to ensure free and transparent elections on February 8.
PTI spokesperson advised that the CEC should ensure fulfillment of his constitutional duty to mop the stains on the commission by conducting free, fair and transparent elections by abandoning the approach of deviating from the constitution.