Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan has disqualified PTI chairman Imran Khan for five years under Article 63(i)(iii) for submitting a false statement in the Toshakhana reference on Friday.

At the ECP Secretariat in Islamabad, a four-person bench presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja delivered the decision.

The five-member bench reached an agreement on the matter at once. The Punjab member, however, was absent from today’s statement.

According to the judgment, Imran will face criminal charges for making a false declaration.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, soon after the verdict was announced, asked the public to come out of their homes for their rights.

Fawad was speaking to the media outside the ECP.

Television footage from before the ECP’s announcement showed PTI leaders scaling the barrier to get to the headquarters of the commission.

Under the direction of a senior superintendent of police, at least 1,100 police officers have been stationed in the Red Zone to maintain law and order. Six deputy superintendents of police and five superintendents of police will help the officer.

The paramilitary Punjab Rangers and the Frontier Constabulary would also provide assistance to the law enforcement agency.

The police have sworn that neither the PTI employees nor any unauthorised individuals will be permitted to access the Election Commission’s office.

According to local media, teargas shells have been handed to the police department in case the party employees start a demonstration.

The ECP has reportedly asked all concerned parties to appear before the commission at its secretariat in Islamabad, which is located at Constitution Avenue, G-5/2.

Following the conclusion of both sides’ arguments on September 19, the ECP had reserved its decision in the Toshakhana case. The case was heard by a five-member ECP panel under the direction of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The Persian word toshakhana, which means “treasure house,” actually means “treasure house.”

In August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent the Toshakhana scandal-related disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan to the ECP in accordance with Articles 62A, 63A, and 223 of the Constitution.

Ali Gohar Khan, Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha of the PML-N, and five other individuals submitted the disqualification reference.

The 28-page reference listed 52 gifts that Toshakhana, the former prime minister Khan, received while breaking the law and following the norms. Most of the gifts, including several priceless watches, were sold in the market.

The gifts’ estimated worth has been determined to be Rs 142,042,100. Between August 2018 and December 2021, the gifts were given.