LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is determined to hold its May 1 rally today despite receiving a show-cause notice from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for violating the Election Code of Conduct.
The electoral watchdog directed the PTI to call off its rally after it failed to seek permission from the district administration to hold rallies and jalsas.
This came after PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced to lead a rally on Monday in connection with Labour Day from Liberty Chowk to Nasir Bagh at 1 PM.
Reacting to the notice, PTI senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry demanded the ECP to revoke it, stating that the notice is illegal. He went on to say that the PTI will take out a rally to express solidarity with the working class and that socio-political parties stage rallies to show solidarity with laborers.
Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter, saying that the party was writing to the ECP to revoke its notice and that the rally must be allowed to continue as per the schedule. He added that the rally should be allowed to go on as usual in Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar. He questioned, “If you cannot come out for labor rights in Pakistan, then when and how can you do your political activities?”
It is worth mentioning that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered in April to hold elections in Punjab on May 14, after which the PTI emerged as the only party to have completed the distribution of party tickets and finalized its electioneering campaign.
