The polls, which resulted in Barrister Gohar Khan replacing Imran Khan as PTI chairman, were held on Dec 2 on the directives issued by the electoral body. The lawyer was elected as the new party chief after being nominated by Imran, who is incarcerated at Adiala Jail.
However, the party was on the receiving end of sharp criticism over the polls as estranged PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar announced that he would challenge the entire process. He had alleged that the PTI had carried out a selection process aimed at throwing out party workers to give the reins to a few lawyers.
Babar had also penned a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. He had said that after the commission directed the party to hold the polls, the PTI core committee issued a press release saying that preparations were complete and announced Niazullah Niazi as the PTI CEC.
Separately, the leaders of the country’s mainstream parties, including the PML-N and PPP, also questioned the legitimacy of the intra-party elections.
At the previous hearing, the ECP had issued a notice to the PTI while hearing Babar’s petition challenging the polls.
