ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold intra-party elections within 20 days in order to obtain an election symbol for the upcoming general elections scheduled for Feb 8, 2024.
A four-member ECP bench headed by Nisar Durrain announced the decision reserved on September 13 after the PTI lawyer submitted his party’s reply following the issuance of a show-cause notice to it.
The electoral body ruled that Imran Khan-led party would not be able to obtain an election symbol if it fails to hold the intra-party elections.
The PTI intra-party polls case has been pending before the ECP since 2022.
The top electoral body requires political parties to conduct intra-party elections before every five years, and the parties can hold the polls in three or four years as enshrined in their respective constitutions.
In August, PTI Chairman Imran Khan failed to appear before the ECP despite issuance of final notice to him in the intra-party elections case.
The ECP had warned him declaring his party ineligible to obtain an election symbol for future polls if he failed to appear before it.
In May last year, the commission issued a show-cause notice to Imran for his failure to hold intra-party elections of the party as its chairman.
