Disqualification in Toshakhana case: Imran Khan announces to challenge ECP verdict

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has announced to approach the court to challenge his disqualification in the Toshakhana case following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict, ARY News reported on Friday.

Imran Khan released its first video message after the ECP’s verdict in the Toshakhana case. The PTI chief said that he will approach the court against his disqualification. “The chief election commissioner (CEC) gave a partial verdict after becoming part of the conspiracy and mafia.”

READ: PROTEST AGAINST ECP: PTI MNA SALEH MUHAMMAD BOOKED IN TERRORISM CASE

“The whole nation takes to the streets to protest against the partial verdict. I told my friends last night that they are going to disqualify me.”

چیئرمین عمران خان کا قوم کے نام اہم ترین پیغام۔ (1/2)

#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/eKW75EJ6o0

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 21, 2022

“Toshakhana law was actually violated by [former prime minister and ex-president] Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari as they took away four expensive vehicles. The law prohibits to get vehicles from Toshakhana. The election commission has not given a verdict in cases against Sharif and Zardari.”

“CEC is working against us for the last 2.5 years. He gave eight partial verdicts against us which were nullified by the court.” Khan also blamed CEC for creating hurdles in elections through electronic voting machines (EVMs) with the nexus of PML-N and PPP.

چیئرمین عمران خان کا قوم کے نام اہم ترین پیغام (2/2)

#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/GcfqnI0ePG

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 21, 2022

The PTI chief alleged that the Supreme Court (SC) had given a verdict to confirm votes to stop horse trading in the Senate elections but the CEC did not implement it. “Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son was caught giving money during Senate elections but the action was not taken by the commission.”

READ: IMRAN KHAN DISQUALIFICATION: PUNJAB, KP ASSEMBLY EMERGENCY SESSIONS SUMMONED TOMORROW

“Audio leaks have also given evidence of CEC’s partiality. The chief election commissioner was planning to identify the constituency where the vote bank of PTI is weak and later the resignations of PTI MNAs were accepted in an organised way to hold by-elections,” said Imran Khan.

He thanked his supporters and asked them to conclude their protests.

ECP’s verdict in Toshakhana case

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p).

READ: IMRAN KHAN’S DISQUALIFICATION: ‘CRIMINAL CASE TO BE FILED ON ECP ORDER’

The ECP stated that Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices and ordered to register criminal cases against the PTI chairman.

The ECP’s verdict further said that some of the gifts retained from Toshakhana were concealed in his assets. Khan has been de-seated as a member National Assembly.

A five-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reserved the verdict on September 19 in the Toshakhana reference against the former premier.