Islamabad (HRNW) An Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) bench has started hearing the Toshakha reference against PTI Chief Imran Khan, who faces lifelong disqualification from holding public office if petitioners proved their claims.
At least six petitioners, including Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and Ali Gohar, have claimed that Imran Khan failed to disclose the state gifts he retained from Toshakhana, or state repository, in his statement of assets and liabilities. They have sought Khan’s lifelong disqualification under Article 63 of the Constitution.
On Thursday, when the hearing began, Khan’s lawyer first claimed that he had not received documents related to the case and then said that Imran Khan was no longer a member of the National Assembly; hence, he could not be issued notices in the disqualification reference.
The lawyer said that Imran Khan had announced in early April that he had resigned from his NA seat and if an MNA does not go back to the legislator after announcing their resignation they are deemed to have resigned.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that legal documents show that Imran Khan was still an MNA and that PTI leaders had repeatedly said that the ECP was not accepting their resignations.
When the lawyer brought up resignations once again, the CEC expressed displeasure and told Khan’s counsel that he must refrain from making political statements.
The lawyer was told to produce any resignation that former Deputy Speaker NA Qasim Suri had forwarded to the ECP.