The Chief Election Commissioner has convened an important meeting at 10:30 pm tomorrow (Monday) after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenged the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore.
The PTI has formally filed the application in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), challenging the imposition of Section 144 ahead of the party’s public rally.
On the directives of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, PTI leaders Babar Awan and Dr Yasmin Rashid have filed a petition in the ECP the against the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore.
While requesting the ECP to do away with Section 144 in Lahore, the petitioners have taken the plea that imposing Section 144 ahead of the PTI rally in Lahore was illegal. “The Punjab government is violating Para 15 of the Supreme Court’s decision by imposing Section 144,” said the PTI.
It has been argued in the petition that the Punjab government was attempting to stop the rally justifying the PSL match.
PTI and PSL match routes
“The route of the PTI rally and the PSL match is different. The PTI rally will end at 5:30 pm while the PSL match will start at 7 pm,” said the plea. The petition further stated that previously, Section 144 had not been imposed during PSL matches in Lahore.
“Election campaigning is the constitutional right of the PTI. The Punjab government is illegally stopping the PTI’s election campaign,” the plea said
According to a statement issued by the ECP, the Chief Election Commissioner has convened an important commission meeting at 10:30 am tomorrow on the petitions of Babar Awan and Yasmin Rashid regarding the imposition of Section 144 by the Punjab government and the ban on election rallies.
