The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the election schedule for PTI’s National Assembly (NA) nine seats that had fallen vacant after the resignations of their incumbents were accepted and notified last month.
According to the details, the polls will be held for NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-45 Kurram-I, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi Karachi-I, NA-246 Karachi South-I.
Read more: By-elections after resignation of 11 PTI MNAs
The polling day has been scheduled for September 25. Hopefuls can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer between August 10-13 and the names of nominated candidates will be published on August 14.
Election commission of Pakistan announced schedule of 9 vacent seats.which have become vacent due to resignation of PTI,MNA's #NA157 pic.twitter.com/l9y9lHi8SK
— Amin Anwar (@amin_anwar6) August 5, 2022
Important to note that 131 PTI lawmakers had resigned from their seats while protesting the controversial vote of no confidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The resignations were part of the PTI’s move to force the new government to immediately go towards fresh elections.
Violations by ECP: Fawad Chaudhry
Interestingly, the matter became controversial when NA speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf recently accepted the resignations of only 11 PTI lawmakers.
Those whose resignations were accepted include Shireen Mazari, Ali Muhammad Khan, Fazl Muhammad Khan, Shaukat Khan, Fakhar Zaman Khan, Farrukh Habib, Ijaz Shah, Akram Cheema, Jamil Ahmad Khan, Shandana Gulzar, and Abdul Shakoor Shaad.
The criteria for accepting the current 11 resignations was not explained, however, it created a new political issue in Pakistan because 131 PTI lawmakers had resigned at the same time.
PTI, of course, raised a storm against the selective acceptance of resignations and has challenged the selective approval of 11 MNAs’ resignations by the NA speaker in the Islamabad High Court.
Read more: PTI challenges approval of 11 MNAs’ resignations
Now, the announcing of the election schedule for just nine vacant PTI seats is apparently becoming another constitutional problem.
“Announcing by-election on NA’s seat while the case is still being heard is another clear violation by ECP,” Fawad Chaudhry said while criticizing ECP.
“Announcing by-elections on NA’s seat while the case is still being heard is another clear violation by ECP”-@fawadchaudhry pic.twitter.com/tMKTxO4Qsx
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 5, 2022