Islamabad [Pakistan], March 5 : The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced a nationwide protest against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) scheduled on March 10, The Express Tribune reported on Sunday.
This comes after the Pakistan electoral body's decision against the allocation of reserved seats to the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)- wherein elected PTI lawmakers have taken refuge after being disallowed to contest the general elections on the party's electoral symbol.
Addressing media outside Adiala Jail where PTI founder Imran Khan is incarcerated on Tuesday, party leaders including Sher Afzal Marwat, Shandana Gulzar, Atif Khan, and Shehryar Afridi announced their dissatisfaction with the ECP's ruling. They accused the commission of diverting the mandate given to PTI by the voters to rival parties, specifically the PML-N and PPP.
The leaders argued that the allocation of reserved seats to other parties contradicted the will of the people who had voted for PTI. They claimed that the ECP's decision was a blatant misuse of power and announced their intention to hold a nationwide protest against this alleged injustice, The Express Tribune reported.
The PTI leaders further criticised the state of Pakistan's economy, highlighting its dependence on foreign remittances and accusing the Sharif family of sending their wealth abroad. They claimed that with the support of overseas Pakistanis, the country could generate quick revenue, emphasising the need for a change in leadership.
Earlier, PTI announced its intention to approach the Supreme Court against the 4-1 decision made by the electoral body, as reported by Dawn.
"The decision of the ECP coincided with the acceptance of nomination papers for ruling coalition-backed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) -backed Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the upcoming presidential elections," slated for March 9, stated sources.
According to Dawn, the final list of eligible candidates will be released on March 5, with the option to withdraw nominations until March 6.
In a 22-page judgment reserved last week, the ECP maintained that the SIC was ineligible for the reserved seat quota based on clear provisions of Article 51(6) read with Section 104 of the Elections Act, 2017.
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