Thursday, June 16, 2011

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) bars APML from contesting elections

On Wednesday The first meeting of senior officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan after its reconstitution in the light of 18th Amendment was held here .
Senior Election Commission officers including the secretary, the chief election commissioner and the four newly-appointed members attended the meeting that discussed different issues. The applications of fourteen political parties for registration were also accepted during the meeting. The parties include Tehreek-e-Sooba Hazara, Pakisatn Ittehad Yaqeen Tanzeem Party, Justice and Development Party Pakistan, Young Blood Christian League, Pakistan Muslim League ‘H’ Haqiqi, Pakisatn Dharti Maan Party, Awami Justice Party, Pakistan Patriotic Movement, Sindh Taraqi Passand Party (STP), Allah-o-Akbar Tahreek, Peoples Democratic League, Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan, Tahreek Bahali-e-Sooba Bahawalpur Pakistan and Pakistan Basic Rights Movement.
The ECP resolved that since the matter of by-polls is pending before the Supreme Court and the attorney general has already made a statement that status of these by-elections could be validated through an amendment in the constitution, therefore, the ECP may await the final decision by the apex court.
The Election Commission of Pakistan barred the party of former president Pervez Musharraf - All Pakistan Muslim League(APML) - to participate in the elections. The ECP raised some objections over the name and electoral symbol of Pervez Musharraf’s party.
Commenting on legal status of the recent by-election, the commission urged the govt to get it validated from the parliament.