ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday appealed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision in the Islamabad High Court, pleading with the court to overturn the decision because the ECP lacked jurisdiction in the case. In the Toshakhana issue, the ECP disqualified the former premier on Friday, claiming that he had engaged in corrupt behaviour by “making false claims and filing erroneous declaration.”
We believe that Imran Khan is no longer eligible to serve in the National Assembly of Pakistan under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution, read in conjunction with Sections 137, 167, and 173 of the Elections Act of 2017, and as a result, his position is now vacant.
It stated that the respondent had made false statements and erroneous declarations, and that as a result, he had also engaged in corrupt practises, which are prohibited by Sections 167 and 173 of the Elections Act of 2017 and are penalised by Section 174 of the same Act. In accordance with Section 190(2) of the Elections Act of 2017, the agency is mandated to file a lawsuit and conduct related action.
The PTI chairman brought the case before the IHC and requested that it declare, find, and hold that the ECP order violates established legal precedent regarding Article 63 of the Constitution, is erroneous, and be set aside.
He further asked the IHC to determine that, in accordance with Sections 137 and 232 of the Election Act and Rule 137 of the 2017 Election Rules, the ECP was not authorised to exercise its authority to decide any issues of “corrupt practise or disqualification.”
The PTI chairman further requested that the court rule that the reference itself is incompetent, illegal, unlawful, and devoid of legal power as well as null and void in the present case in the interest of justice.
