Election Commission Warns PKMAP of Ex Parte Decision Over Failure to Submit Reply
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has warned the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) that an ex parte decision could be issued if the party fails to submit its response to objections in three pending cases.
A four-member commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the cases in which the PKMAP lawyer appeared before the commission.
The party’s counsel said an ECP order had been challenged before the Balochistan High Court. He told the commission that the matter was scheduled for hearing on August 26 but could not be heard, and a new hearing date had been fixed for September 21. He requested additional time to present detailed arguments before the ECP.
ECP officials informed the commission that the Balochistan High Court had granted a stay regarding the 180-day period for holding intra-party elections. However, no stay had been obtained in the other two cases.
The Chief Election Commissioner directed the PKMAP lawyer to submit a response to the ECP’s objections, warning that failure to do so would result in an ex parte decision.
“You have already taken time several times but have not submitted the response,” the Chief Election Commissioner observed, adding that there was still no stay in two of the matters.
The ECP accepted the PKMAP lawyer’s request for additional time and adjourned the hearing until September 15.
The cases against PKMAP relate to objections concerning the party’s intra-party elections, financial statements for 2024-25, and amendments to the party constitution.
