The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday restored the MQM-P's registration as it announced its verdict regarding the party's request for the same.

The ECP had delisted MQM-P after the party failed to comply with the commission's orders to submit copies of the National Identity Card of at least 2,000 of their workers as well as Rs200,000 in fees. The orders had been given the same orders to 352 parties in accordance with the Election Act, 2017.

On Dec 26, the ECP had issued show-cause notices to 317 political parties, including MQM-P, for not providing the commission with the information it had sought. On January 12, the MQM-P, along with 283 other parties, was de-listed by the ECP.

A four-member bench of the commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan, announced the verdict after hearing arguments presented by the party's lawyer, Faroogh Naseem today. MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar was also present in the court for the hearing.

"We have appeared here in relation to an appeal against the [ECP's] decision to delist the MQM-P," the lawyer had said as he began his arguments before the bench, earlier.

Naseem had recalled that the ECP had issued notices on October 20 and November 14 to political parties to comply with the formalities under the Elections Act 2017.

He had added that on December 26, the commission had sent out show-cause notices, calling on the parties to file their responses within 15 days.

"The deadline expires on January 10. On January 11, we appeared in the ECP and sought five days to file the details of party workers from all over the country," the lawyer had said, adding that the party was denied its request.

"On January 12, the ECP refused to receive details from us." A petition was then filed in the ECP, he had said.

He had requested that the details being provided by the MQM-P be accepted and the party's registration be restored.

"The law was new, our mistake should be forgiven," the lawyer had added.

"MQM-P is the fourth largest party in the country," Naseem had pointed out. He had said that the ECP had made the right move by de-listing parties that were not genuine, maintaining that the MQM-P is a genuine party.

In its verdict, the ECP also restored the registration of 12 other parties.