Election Commission declared Imran Khan Ineligible | ECP disqualifies Imran Khan in Toshakhana Case
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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared Imran Khan ineligible in the Tosha Khana Case. The ECP has disqualified Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in connection with the Tosha Khana case. This decision comes after the ECP reviewed the case and found evidence supporting the disqualification of Mr. Khan.
The verdict was unanimous, delivered by a four-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
A verdict has been issued declaring that Imran Khan is no longer a member of the National Assembly. The verdict cites the submission of a false affidavit and involvement in corrupt practices as the reasons for his removal.
The election monitoring body has declared the National Assembly seat held by Imran Khan vacant.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared that Imran Khan is no longer considered trustworthy and reliable, and has stated that legal action should be taken against him.
On September 19th, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved its verdict in the Tosha Khana case brought by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). The case alleged improper conduct by Imran Khan regarding gifts received through the Tosha Khana, and a declaration was sought for his disqualification. The ECP ultimately decided to disqualify Imran Khan.
During the court proceedings, Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan represented PTI Chairman in defense.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) held a hearing with a five-member bench led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). After listening to the arguments presented, the bench reserved its judgment for a later date.
The Tosha Khana case was brought before the election watchdog last year. This followed a decision by the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) to approve a petition regarding the matter. Consequently, the Cabinet Division was instructed to impeach the then Prime Minister Imran Khan. Information pertaining to gifts received from national personalities was requested to be made public.
Chairman PTI Imran Khan's Written Response
Imran Khan, in his written response to the Tosha Khana reference, filed it with the Election Commission on September 7th.
Between August 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021, 58 gifts were presented to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, as per the submitted response.
Imran Khan responded by clarifying that out of all the gifts he received, only 14 items had a value exceeding 30,000 rupees. He purchased these items using the standard procedure, paying for them with his own money.
Responding to accusations, the PTI chairman acknowledged the sale of four gifts received during his time as prime minister. He also vehemently denied allegations of concealing any gifts at Tosha Khana.
Problem
In early August, Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf submitted a reference to the Election Commission regarding the potential disqualification of Imran Khan. This reference stemmed from the Tosha Khana case.
According to the reference, Imran Khan's asset declaration did not include details regarding the gifts received from Tosha Khana or the proceeds earned from their sale.
During an informal interaction with the media earlier in April, the former prime minister addressed the aforementioned matter. He stated that these items were gifts he received and that he had the discretion to retain them or not.
Response from PTI Leadership
In a statement to the media, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi declared that they unequivocally reject the "minus one" decision.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated that the Pakistani people stand with Imran Khan because they rejected the current leadership on July 17th, demonstrating the potential for democracy to function.
Fawad Chaudhry, the former Information Minister, stated that the decision to de-seat Imran Khan is incorrect. He asserted that the Election Commission lacks the authority to remove him from office.
PTI leader Asad Umar has declared that the party will appeal the decision in the High Court, asserting that the current ruling will not stand for long.
Shehbaz Gul asserted that the decision was authored by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif. He claimed that the decision was signed by Nawaz Sharif's "personal servant" and that the public rejects it.
The party leadership asserted that such a decision is unprecedented. This judgment has been delivered against 220 million people. The PTI leadership raised concerns about the Chief Election Commissioner's lack of participation in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). They declared that Pakistan will witness a revolution today. The constitution will be protected by removing these rulers from the assembly.
