Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in a consensus verdict, has disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the toushakhana reference against Imran Khan and ruled that the PTI chairman is no more member of National Assembly (NA).
The five-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) pronounced the reserved verdict.
The ECP in its decision said that the PTI chairman Imran Khan submitted wrong reply in the commission regarding the toushakhana reference. The body also said that Imran Khan had submitted wrong returns in the ECP.
The ECP said that the former premier has been declared disqualified under article 63-one pk. Imran Khan found to be involved in conducting corruption, the ECP said in its verdict.
The election body also decided to initiate action over the corrupt practices against the PTI chief. The ECP also ordered to lodge a criminal case against the former premier Imran Khan.
Imran Khan counsel Barrister Ali Zafar on the previous hearing had argued that the ECP is a commission not a court, until it hasn’t supervision of a high court nor any institution can becomes the court adding that the ECP can not declare itself a court.
He said that it can’t be happened that question be raised on the 10 years old matter adding that it is a political case.
Before the judgement all the gates of the ECP were closed and no one allowed to enter the ECP premises. However, the PTI leaders entered the building while climbing the walls of the ECP. Even Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry and Umar Ayub were also entered the building this way.
At least 1,100 police officials have been deployed in the Red Zone under the command of a senior superintendent of police to control the law and order situation in the area. The officer will be assisted by five superintendents of police, six deputy superintendents of police.
The law enforcement agency will also be assisted by the Frontier Constabulary and paramilitary force Punjab Rangers.
The ECP had reserved the verdict of the case against Imran Khan on September 19 after conclusion of arguments.
Earlier, the ECP had announced the verdict in the prohibited funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The ECP, in its unanimous verdict, ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign nationals. It went on to say that the party had taken ownership of eight accounts and kept 13 hidden.
The electoral watchdog also decided to issue a show-cause notice to the PTI to explain why the commission should not seize the funds it received.
The case was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar and was pending since November 14, 2014. Babar had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party’s funding from Pakistan and abroad.
In March 2018, a scrutiny committee was constituted to examine the PTI s financing. The committee submitted its report on January 4, after 95 hearings and nearly four years.
