PTI withdrew contempt petition from SC against ECP

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) withdrew its contempt plea from the Supreme Court (SC) seeking action against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not providing level-playing field.

A three-member apex court bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali heard the case.

PTI lawyer Latif Khosa argued to CJP Isa that his party will approach the people’s court in this matter.

“We do not want to fight this case in your [Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s] court. Thank you very much,” said Khosa.

“We came to the top court seeking a level-playing field, but the [SC’s] decision has shattered the party by taking away its electoral symbol, with it depriving the party of 230 seats across the country,” said Khosa.

Justice Hilali questioned PTI counsel Sardar Latif Khosa about the news of PTI’s alliance with another party.

The PTI lawyer told the court that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriyati’s (PTI-N) leader, with whom they had made a deal, was also “picked up and forced to hold a press conference”.

Lawyer Latif Khosa in today’s hearing said that you (SC) have taken away the level-playing field for PTI. The Election Commission taken away the electoral symbol (bat). The PTI is now being banned from the parliament,adding all the PTI candidates will therefore contest elections independently which will spread confusion among the masses.

The Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa said that the SC repeatedly inquired PTI to show the intra-party elections, if PTI does not like the decision, nothing cannot be done, adding the apex court had issued an order on a level playing field, the court can order but SC cannot perform governance.