Five-member LHC bench to hear Imran’s plea against disqualification

LAHORE: Justice Shujaat Ali Khan of the Lahore High Court on Friday referred a petition, filed by former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan against his five-year disqualification in Toshakhana case, to a five-member bench for hearing.

Justice Khan heard the petition in chamber, and referred it to a five-member bench after initial arguments of Senator Ali Zafar and Barrister Sameer Khosa, who represented Imran Khan.

The former PTI chairman had challenged his disqualification, stating that the Election Commission of Pakistan’’s (ECP) step of disqualifying him was against the principles of natural justice and due process of law.

Meanwhile, Justice Khan also referred a petition, filed by the PTI challenging the ECP order instructing the party to hold fresh intra-party polls, to the five-member bench, after its initial hearing in chamber. The PTI had requested the court to set aside the ECP orders of holding fresh party elections and declare that the intra-party elections conducted on June 10, 2022, were valid by the party’s constitution.