ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan for five years under Article 63(1)(p) for mis-declaration in the Toshakhana reference.
The ECP ruled that the PTI Chairman was no more a member of the National Assembly. The ECP directed initiation of criminal proceedings against Imran Khan for mis-declaration. The ECP held that Imran Khan was found involved in corrupt practices.
A four-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, announced the verdict here at the ECP’s Secretariat in Islamabad. The decision was taken unanimously by the five-member ECP’s bench. However, the member from Punjab Babar Hassan Bharwana was not present for Friday’s announcement as he was unwell.
The ECP had reserved its verdict in the Toshakhana case on September 19 after arguments were completed from both sides. In August this year, a reference was moved against Imran Khan by the coalition government, for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.
The reference was submitted to the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who had subsequently forwarded it to the Chief Election Commissioner for further action in accordance with the law. Before announcement of the verdict, a tight security was ensured in the Red Zone where at least 1,100 police personnel were deployed under the command of a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to control the law and order situation in the area.