Claim: The Election Commission of Pakistan has cancelled the party registration of the Jamaat-e-Islami party for five years.
Fact: The Election Commission of Pakistan has not cancelled the party registration of Jamaat-e-Islami.
A doctored image of a notification has gone viral on social media after the first phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The image contains text alleging that Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan’s party membership has been cancelled. The image features the following bullet points:
1- “Continuous failure in elections. Jamaat e Islami’s registration cancelled.”
2- “Jamaat e Islami has been stopped from participating in the second phase of elections.”
3- “Election Commission will give a five years period for Jamaat e Islami to increase its vote-bank.”
4- “Election Commission of Pakistan has removed Jamaat e Islami from the list of political parties.”
5- “Election Commission of Pakistan has put a ban on the gatherings of the parties as well.”
The doctored notification, dated 24 December 2021, also says “By the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan” and includes what appears to be the forged signature of an additional secretary.
The image is predominantly being shared on WhatsApp groups but has also been shared on other platforms including here and here on Facebook and here, here and here on Twitter.
Speaking with Soch Fact Check, the spokesman of the Election Commission of Pakistan denied the issuance of such a notification and termed the image “fake”. He further added that the cancellation of a party’s registration does not hinge on the party’s performance in an election, whether good or poor. Jamaat-e-Islami representative from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Jehan Afridi told Soch Fact Check that the party leadership has categorically denied the issuance of such a notification. Afridi also put up a post on Facebook describing the image as fake and as propaganda against the party.
Conclusion: The Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued a notification cancelling Jamaat-e-Islami’s party registration. The image of a notification suggesting otherwise circulating is doctored and contains information that is false.
