Pakistan: Imran Khan-led PTI to begin election campaign for Punjab polls tomorrow

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 23 (ANI): Amid uncertainty over elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar on Sunday announced that the party will launch its election campaign for Punjab polls on Monday, Geo News reported.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Asad Umar stated, “Tehreek-e-Insaf will officially launch its election campaign from tomorrow. They (PDM) may not be ready but we are ready.” Earlier this week, the PTI finalised a list of 297 candidates for the elections. PTI’s announcement of launching the election campaign comes despite uncertainty over the polls.
The PTI finalised the list of candidates after the party’s chairman Imran Khan interviewed all party candidates in person to uphold merit in distributing party tickets. He held one-on-one interviews with all candidates from April 6-18 to select nominees for polls, as per the Geo News report. However, the issuance of tickets has not gone well within the PTI as many high-profile leaders of the party were not given tickets.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been planning to include PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar in the review committee to address objections raised by party members, Geo News reported citing sources. On Thursday, the PTI set up a four-member committee to address objections regarding the issuance of party tickets.

The panel included Musaddiq Abbasi, Ijaz Chaudhary, Rai Hassan Nawaz, and Aoon Abbas. However, after backlash from party workers and supporters, PTI chairman Imran Khan is likely to involve some senior members to make a decision over the appeals regarding the issuance of tickets, as per the Geo News report.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (PTI) is waiting for funds from Pakistan’s federal government to hold elections, as per the news report. Earlier this month, the Pakistan Supreme Court directed the ECP to conduct elections in Punjab on May 14.

Earlier in an order on April 4, the Pakistan Supreme Court also directed the federal government to release Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 21 billion in funds for the ECP by April 10 and give security for the polls. However, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government has refused to release funds for the elections as the country’s parliament rejected the proposal.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Ministry has filed a petition in the apex court requesting the court to take back its order of conducting elections on May 14. The case is being heard in the Supreme Court, as per the news report.

During the court proceedings, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said that the three-member bench will not take back its order for elections scheduled to be held on May 14.