The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) about initiating the proceedings of removing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from the party\u2019s leadership after his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.
\nThe ECP, during the hearing of Khan\u2019s petition against his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference by the electoral body, also informed the IHC that the district and sessions court in Islamabad had reserved the verdict on a plea filed by the ECP in the same case against Khan for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices, which the former premier denies.
\nA day earlier, it was learnt that the court will announce its verdict on December 15 at 2pm. The Toshakhana reference case was taken up by the trial court on November 22.
\nIHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, while hearing the petition, remarked to take a decision on the application after listening to everyone in two to three weeks.
\nKhan\u2019s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar, while presenting his arguments, said that the ECP is not a court of law in light of several verdicts issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Therefore, it has no authority to disqualify any member of the National Assembly.
\n\u201cIn this case, the ECP took recourse to the Faisal Vawda case and issued a declaration,\u201d Zafar said maintaining that the PTI chief took the gifts after a 20% payment and provided a copy of its challan.
\nPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnwaz Ranjha\u2019s lawyer sought a week\u2019s time to present his arguments.
\nThe court adjourned further hearings on the petition till December 20.
\nEarlier this month, the apex court ruled that the ECP has no jurisdiction under the Constitution to decide upon the pre-election disqualification of a lawmaker when issuing the verdict in Vawda\u2019s disqualification case revoking the lifetime ban on him which barred him from contesting in elections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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