Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan censured the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not holding Islamabad Local Government (LG) Elections despite the court orders.
Imran Khan said in a Twitter message that ECP has again shown it is the B team of the imported government and its backer by not implementing the IHC order to hold Islamabad LG elections.
“PDM, fearful of the people, is running away from all elections. Right to vote is a fundamental democratic norm & PTI stands committed to it,” he added.
By not implementing IHC orders to hold LG elections in Islamabad today, ECP has again shown it is B team of Imported Govt & its backers. PDM, fearful of the people, is running away from all elections. Right to vote is a fundamental democratic norm & PTI stands committed to it.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 31, 2022
Earlier in the day, the federal government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) filed separate intra-court appeals challenging the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) orders to hold the local government elections in the federal capital today (December 31).
However, the IHC registrar’s office raised an objection over the intra-court appeal, saying that the plea lacks the required documents, The News reported. The electoral body had sought an immediate hearing of the intra-court appeal.
Meanwhile, the federal government also filed a separate intra-court appeal against the IHC’s orders.
On Friday, IHC directed the ECP to hold local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory today. However, the Commission and the federal government decided to challenge the court’s order citing an inability to make security and other arrangements on short notice.