Disqualification in Toshakhana reference: IHC takes up Imran’s petition today

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) today (Monday) will take up Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition challenging the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference case.

On Friday, the ECP disqualified the former premier in the Toshakhana reference, stating he had committed corrupt practices by making “false statements and submitting incorrect declaration”.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will hear the case with objections raised by the registrar’s office. PTI’s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar had filed the appeal on Saturday. The PTI chairman in his application has made the ECP secretary, NA Speaker and secretary as respondents.

However, the office of the IHC registrar raised several objections to the application. The objections included that PTI chief Imran Khan has not undergone biometric verification and the copy of ECP verdict disqualifying him (Imran) has not been attached with the application.

Later, the IHC, rejecting the PTI counsel’s request for fixing the hearing on the same day, postponed the hearing till Monday (today). The petition said that according to the office memorandum, the gifts below the amount of Rs30,000 could be obtained without any payment, while gifts valuing above Rs30,000 could be obtained on the payment of 50 percent of their amount.

Before the PTI government came to power, the gifts of Rs30,000 could be obtained on the payment of 20 percent of their amount, while former prime minister Imran Khan got 14 gifts from 2018 to 2021 on payment of 20 percent and 50 percent of their amount.

According to the Election Act, the members of Parliament have to submit details of available assets till June 30 to the ECP, while in case they sell any asset before June 30, they don’t need to submit its details. However, it is mandatory to submit details of assets sold out by them. The petitioner submitted details of his assets in value to the ECP every year.