ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) president Ijazul Haq has clarified to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that his party has not merged with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
He said this in response to a recent letter written by the Election Commission on May 5 regarding his party’s status and intra-party elections for the upcoming general elections.
In March this year, Ijazul Haq met PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Lahore and TV channels and newspapers published news of his party’s merger with PTI. There was no denial from him.
The head of PML-Z is the son of late military ruler General Late Zia-ul-Haq. According to reports, Ijazul Haq wrote back to the ECP that he has not merged his political party with the PTI. He met PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the media misjudged him and ran news about the merger, which was false. Referring to the letter written to the election body, he said that ‘the party may have an electoral alliance with PTI in the next elections but the merger has not taken place and there is no justification for the news related to it’. The ECP had sent a letter to Ijazul Haq seeking clarification: Has the Pakistan Muslim League (Zia) been merged into the PTI? Whether you (Ijazul Haq) are contesting the upcoming general elections (2023) on a PTI ticket. Therefore, you are requested to clarify the position and status of PML(Z) going forward in light of Section 200 (2) (3) and Section 203 (3) of the Elections Act 2017.
Section 200 of the Act: Formation of political parties.—(1) Subject to this Act, it shall be lawful for any person or association of citizens to form, organise, continue or establish a political party. (2) A political party shall have separate identification of its structure at the national, provincial and local levels, wherever applicable. (3) Each political party shall have a distinct name. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no political party shall— (a) propagate any opinion, or act in a manner contrary to the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution; (b) undermining the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan, public order or public morals or engaging in terrorism; (c) promote communal, regional or provincial hatred or enmity; (e) provide any military or para-military training to its members or other persons; or (f) be formed, organised, set up or convened as a foreign-aided political party. Similarly, Section 203 of the Act defines: Membership of political parties. (1) Every citizen, not in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or become a member of a political party or to affiliate with any political party. Participate in party or political activities or be elected as an official of a political party. (2) Where a person joins a political party, his name shall be entered in the records of the political party as a member and he shall be issued with a membership card, or any other document evidencing his membership of the political party. be revealed. (3) A person shall not be a member of more than one political party at a time.
