Speaker readies Toshakhana reference against Imran

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf has already completed a disqualification reference under Article 62 of the Constitution against former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Tosha Khana (gift depositary) scam, which will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The 28-page reference by three national legislatures, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Agha Syed Rafiullah and Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi, has identified 52 gift items of Tosha Khana received by former prime minister Imran, 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. 

Sources said that Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf, who has also served as prime minister of the country, had also attached his extensive covering note wherein it has been declared that the reference was a fit case for immediate hearing under Article 62 of the Constitution.

He has cited different clauses of the Article as a reason for sending it to the ECP. He urged the commission to further probe it and take action. Highly placed parliamentary sources said that the speaker after consultations and study of the matter, has decided to send it to the ECP to disqualify Imran Ahmad Niazi, a returned member of the National Assembly from NA-95 Mianwali-I. He has pleaded that Imran Niazi should be declared disqualified for any political office. Sources told The News here Thursday that the reference was sent to the Speaker by the three national legislatures last month.

In the meanwhile, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha also submitted a reference to the ECP on Thursday separately, citing the same facts with a plea to disqualify Imran Khan. It is likely the ECP would issue notices to the parties including Imran Khan after its initial hearing in a day or two.