ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members have turned down the demand of some political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to step down.
In a meeting of the ECP held in Islamabad on Monday with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza in the Chair, it was pointed out that lawyers forum of the PTI has already filed a reference in the Supreme Judicial Council which is the proper and competent forum for deciding such matters.
Therefore, the ECP meeting said, the concerned members would not take any decision about their resignations till the final decision of the Supreme Judicial Council.
The ECP members also pointed out that they have been systematically ridiculed and stigmatized with false and baseless allegations of rigging about which they strongly feel to be adjudicated upon.
Meanwhile, the PTI has officially announced a protest rally to be held at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 4 to announce the plan of action for a possible sit-in to pressurize officials from the ECP to tender their resignations.
On Saturday, the PTI Chief Imran Khan demanded resignations or ouster of four provincial election commissioners for what he called their failure to hold free and fair elections in 2013.
