Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday fixed the hearing of two separate petitions relating to disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

A three-member bench of the LHC – headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Amir Bhatti and including Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi – will hear the pleas on January 9, according to a cause list issued by the registrar’s office.

In his petition, Advocate Afaq Ahmed stated that Khan was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case.

As per the verdict, Khan had been involved in corrupt practices and his seat in the National Assembly was declared vacant, the petition.

Referring to the Peoples Act 1976 and the Political Parties Order 2002, the petitioner stated that the office-bearers of a political party must meet the standards provided in Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

He sought the court’s order to remove Khan as chairman of the PTI.

In another petition, Jabir Abbas Khan, a citizen, challenged the disqualification of Khan at the hands of the ECP.

He argued that Khan was disqualified under sections 137(4), 167 and 173 of the Elections Act but the sections did not mention the word “disqualification”.

The petitioner argued that the electoral watchdog “illegally and unlawfully” disqualified Khan.