People rejected verdict against Imran Khan by 'dishonest' ECP, says Fawad Chaudhry

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) dishonest when the electoral body disqualified party chief Imran Khan in the Toshakahan case.  The PTI leader said the verdict has been rejected by the people of Pakistan. 

The ECP, in a consensus verdict in the Toshakana reference on Friday, disqualified Imran Khan and ruled that he is no longer a member of the National Assembly. The election commission directed criminal proceedings to be initiated against Imran for misdeclaration.

The ECP ruled that Imran Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).

Fawad said that the ECP verdict against Imran Khan is nothing but a slap on the face of 220 million Pakistanis.

The PTI leader called upon the people to come out of their houses for their rights, as the Constitution of Pakistan can be protected by overturning these assemblies.

Fawad Chaudhry earlier spoke to the media after the ECP delivered the verdict. He said the ECP's attitude had always been the worst. “We never pinned any hopes on it.”

“This is a shameful decision. They have disgraced the 220-million-strong-nation.”

Chaudhry termed the decision an assault on the institutions of Pakistan. He went on to say that the commission had given the verdict they had hoped for. "They are only targeting Imran Khan," he said.

The PTI leader said that the ECP and its members are not competent to make this decision. "Who are you [ECP] to take this decision?" he questioned.

The Toshakhana Case

The ECP had reserved its verdict in the Toshakhana case on September 19 after arguments were completed from both sides. A five-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the case.

In August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP under Articles 62A, 63A, and 223, seeking former prime minister Imran Khan’s disqualification in the light of the Toshakhana scam.

The disqualification reference was filed by Ali Gohar Khan, PML-N’s Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, and five others.

The 28-page reference identified 52 gift items of Toshakhana received by the former prime minister, violating the law and rules, taken away at nominal prices and most of the gifts were sold in the market, including some precious watches.

The assessed value of the gifts has been put at Rs 142,042,100. The gifts were received between August 2018 and December 2021.

According to PML-N MNA Ranjha, Khan concealed information about the gift of watches by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in his statement of assets submitted in 2018-2019.

This withholding of information is tantamount to lying which, according to Ranjha, is a crime under Section 137. He thus said that Khan was no more Sadiq and Ameen and should be slapped with disqualification for life from contesting the election under Article 62(1)(f), Article 2, Article 3 of the Constitution.

Article 62(1)(f) is the same legal instrument that disqualified former PM Nawaz Sharif from contesting elections and led to his removal from power, Ranjha said.