ECP orders action against PTI's Aleem Khan in fake affidavits case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday ordered action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Aleem Khan in fake affidavits case.

Aleem Khan had submitted fake affidavits to support his allegations about transfer of thousands of votes from NA-122 (Lahore) without the consent of the voters ahead of the by-election in the constituency in October 2015.

Khan is currently serving as senior minister of Punjab in the PTI-led government in the province.

Aleem Khan had filed an 800-page petition in the ECP, saying that before the by-election held on Oct 11 2015, some 30,500 votes had been transferred from the constituency or cancelled, raising doubts about transparency of the election results. Affidavits of a number of voters had been annexed with the petition, all of which were found to be false.

The ECP, in its remarks in 2016, had said that submitting fake documents was a criminal offence under the Pakistan Penal Code and also came in the ambit of corrupt practices under the Representation of Peoples’ Act.

The lawyer of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that Aleem Khan had submitted that 855 affidavits and among them several affidavits were fake. Commission Member from Balochistan Shakeel Baloch said during the case hearing in March this year, “We are giving you a last chance so that you may complete your arguments.”

Ayaz Sadiq had been declared successful in the 2013 general elections from NA-122 but his victory had been challenged by PTI Chairman Imran Khan who had lost to him from the constituency.