Video scandal: ECP rejects PTI petition seeking Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani’s disqualification

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has dismissed PTI's petition filed for the disqualification of Yousaf Raza Gilani from the Senate seat.

The commission announcing its decision in Islamabad today said no evidence has been found against Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The ECP, however, asked the District Election Commissioner Islamabad to proceed against Ali Haider Gilani, MNA Faheem Khan and Jamil Ahmad Khan for their involvement in corrupt practices.

The PTI had filed a petition in the ECP last year, asking the electoral body to stop the issuance of the notification confirming Gilani’s victory on a general seat from Islamabad in the Senate elections.

The petition was filed on the basis of a leaked audio clip of Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah purportedly bargaining with four PTI lawmakers for their votes in the Senate elections and a video of Gilani’s son Ali Haider Gilani in which he was allegedly explaining some PTI MNAs techniques to waste their votes.

The petition was filed by PTI lawmakers Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari and Kanwal Shauzab.

In the video that surfaced on social media, Ali Haider Gilani was allegedly instructing PTI MPs on how to waste their votes.

The PPP senator, in a shocking development, defeated the PTI candidate Hafeez Sheikh, triggering a debate in political circles about the cracks in the then ruling coalition which had a majority in the National Assembly.

Later, the then prime minister Imran Khan also took a vote of confidence from the assembly to show that he still enjoys the support of the majority.