Key Takeaways
- Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) refuses to recognise Mehmood Khan Achakzai as PkMAP chairman.
- PkMAP failed to hold intra-party elections by the required deadline, leading to the rejection.
- Achakzai’s power of attorney is under scrutiny and subject to ECP order.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has refused to recognise National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai as chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), citing the party’s failure to hold intra-party elections.
A full five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the matter during a hearing on Thursday. Two other cases related to PkMAP were also fixed for further hearings.
The ECP had previously reminded the party to conduct these elections and issued a show-cause notice in January 2026 after they failed to do so by December 21, 2025. The party sought an extension but was denied a second time, with the commission setting June 19, 2026, as the final deadline.
During the hearing, Achakzai’s power of attorney was questioned. Raja stated that since no intra-party election had been held, there was currently no party head and thus the document's validity was under scrutiny.
Achakzai’s lawyer, Aimal Mandokhail, sought to represent the party in the three cases but this is now subject to the ECP’s order on the power of attorney. The commission will issue an order regarding its acceptability.
The PkMAP had conducted intra-party elections on December 21, 2022, and was required to hold new elections by December 21, 2025, due to a three-year term for office-bearers. The party neither held these elections nor submitted a proper response.
The ECP had granted the party an initial extension of 180 days but rejected a subsequent request, clarifying that intra-party elections must be completed by June 19, 2026, in any case.
