ISLAMABAD : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday summonedPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on July 4 in a pleaagainst submission of assurance affidavits from party ticket hopefuls.

A five-judge bench headed by the chief election commissioner heard a pleaagainst PTI’s act of seeking assurance on affidavits from ticket hopefulsfor General Election 2018 scheduled for July 25.

The petition had been filed by PTI ticket hopeful Mulk Munir.

During the hearing, Munir’s counsel informed the court that the PTI soughtassurance on affidavits from applicants for party tickets that they willnot leave the party or contest as independent candidates in case they arerefused tickets to contest the general election.

To this, ECP Punjab member Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi said, “Political partieshave always issued tickets based on these conditions.”

“Have other parties also sought similar assurance affidavits?” he asked.

The petitioner’s counsel responded, “All parties are seeking such assuranceaffidavits but they are illegal and against their manifestos.”

“No political party can stop a candidate from contesting as anindependent,” the counsel argued.