Pakistan: PTI withdraws parliamentary board for Islamabad local polls over constitutional issues

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 31 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has withdrawn its notification constituting a parliamentary board for the Islamabad local government elections scheduled for February 15, citing non-compliance with the party constitution, Dawn reported.
The move comes days after PTI's additional secretary general, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, on December 27, issued a notification forming a seven-member parliamentary board to nominate candidates for the Islamabad local bodies polls.
The board comprised Advocate Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, Amir Mughal, Fouzia Arshad, Jamsheed Mughal and Sheraz Kiani.
However, PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja subsequently rescinded the notification.
"The notification dated 27 December 2025 regarding the formation of a parliamentary board for the nomination of candidates for the Islamabad local government elections is hereby rescinded," said the notification signed by Raja.
Party sources said the decision followed the realisation that the board had been constituted in violation of the PTI Constitution.
According to an insider, two individuals considered close to former PTI leader Asad Umar were included in the board, Dawn reported.
PTI Islamabad Region President Amir Mughal said he had raised the issue with Salman Akram Raja and PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, pointing out that the party constitution does not allow the formation of a parliamentary board without the consent of the regional president.
"As I was not aware of it so both of them decided to cancel the notification. Now they have sought proposals from me and I hope new notification will be issued soon," Mughal said.
Providing details on the election preparations, Mughal said nomination papers had been filed for all 125 union councils in Islamabad.
"As each UC has nine seats, the party has filed many nomination papers in each union council," he said.
He added that PTI candidates will contest the polls under the banner of the Sunni Ittehad Council, as the party has been deprived of its election symbol.
"As PTI has been deprived of its election symbol, our candidates will contest election as candidates of Sunni Ittehad Council," Mughal said, according to Dawn.
Tuesday marked the final date for submitting nomination papers for the Islamabad local government elections. (ANI)