ECP disqualifies Imran in Toshakhana reference

The Election Commission of Pakistan(ECP) disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI) president and former premier Imran Khan on Friday as it blazoned its verdict in the Toshakhana(gift repository) reference.

A four-member bench declared Imran Khan’s National Assembly seat vacant as it unanimously decided that he’d handed incorrect information in the case and disqualified him “for the time being”.

The verdict deseated Imran as per Composition- 63(A) and ordered the inauguration of felonious proceedings against him for submitting a false statement. still, the ECP nestled down from declaring the deposed premier disqualified for life.

Meanwhile, the PTI leadership has blazoned that it’ll challenge the decision in court.

Before the moment, party leaders had directed workers to protest should the Toshakhana case decision come against Imran Khan.

Elderly party leader and in-charge of the party’s Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa sect Pervez Khattak participated an audio communication with workers, stating that “if the decision is in favour of Imran Khan, also OK ; else if it’s against(him) also there will be a strong kick at the quarter position”.

PTI rejects the ‘minus one formula’

Reflecting on the indigenous part of the ECP during press conference moment, elderly PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that “a disadvantage one formula won’t be respectable”.

“The ECP is a indigenous institution,” said Qureshi noting that” free, fair, and believable choices” was the responsibility of the watchdog.

“In no way will a disadvantage one formula be considered respectable,” he added.

During the press conference, Qureshi also noted the successes of PTI in by- choices and cited it as substantiation that attempts to qualify Imran would be against the “will of the people”.

Strict security in place

In view of the fear of the appearance of PTI workers or a possible disturbance, tight security has been stationed in the entire area and especially girding the ECP structure. Tear gas shells and other necessary outfit have also been delivered to the labor force.

likewise, in addition to the police, FC and Rangers labor force have also been stationed for security.

Security has been stationed by the Islamabad administration whereby,500 labor force including one SSP, five SPs and six DSPs have been appointed at the demesne.

According to police officers, PTI workers won’t be allowed to enter the ECP structure and entry will be confined to applicable persons only while entry into the Red Zone has also been confined.

Besides this, DC Islamabad also visited the ECP and reviewed the security arrangements.

The electoral watchdog had sought “fool- evidence security” ahead of the verdict. The election administrator had also issued notices to all the parties to be present at its secretariat in Islamabad either tête-à-tête or through their attorneys.

Before moment, the principal election manager(CEC) and parochial ECP members of all four businesses reached the commission as an important meeting was called in.

The Islamabad administration, in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, briefed the meeting about the security measures in place.

Toshakhana reference

The ECP had reserved the verdict in the case on September 19.

Toshakhana – a department under the executive control of the Cabinet Division – stores precious gifts given to the head of countries, MPs, functionaries and officers by heads of other governments, countries, and foreign dignitaries.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts and other similar material entered by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

The reference had been moved by the Pakistan Democratic Movement(PDM) against the PTI chief on August 4 for not “participating the details” of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged trade.

Despite the Pakistan Information Commission(PIC) ordering it to do so, the PTI, while in government, had been reticent to expose the details of the gifts presented to Imran since he took over his office in 2018.

It claimed that it would jeopardise transnational relations.

The reference sought the disqualification of Imran from public office under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

Source: Express Tribune