ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja Sunday called an important meeting of the commission tomorrow (Monday) to discuss the petitions submitted to the ECP by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders against the imposition of Section 144 which prohibits any rallies and public gatherings in Lahore. The ECP on its official Twitter handle announced: “The chief election commissioner has called an important meeting of the commission tomorrow at 10:30 am on the requests of Dr Babar Awan and Dr Yasmeen Rashid of PTI regarding the implementation of Section 144 by the Punjab government and the ban on election rallies.”

Earlier in the day, the PTI challenged the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore in the Election Commission of Pakistan. On the direction of PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, Babar Awan filed the petition in ECP on Sunday, praying the commission to order the withdrawal of the Section 144. Awan argued in the application that running election campaign is the constitutional right of the PTI and the ban on rallies is illegal.

It was further stated in the application that the Punjab government has violated the Supreme Court’s decision by imposing Section 144. Rallies are being blocked on the pretext of PSL matches, although routes of the rally and the PSL match are miles apart, it said and added the PTI rally will end at 5:30 pm while the PSL match will start at 7:00 pm. The plea further said that imposition of Section 144 was not witnessed in any city during the PSL match before this one.