The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan under Article 63(1)(p) of the constitution in the Toshakhana reference.
Article 63 (1)(p) of the Constitution states that an individual is, “for the time being, disqualified from being elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) or of a provincial assembly under any law for the time being in force”.
According to the verdict, criminal proceedings will be initiated against Imran for misdeclaration.
A four-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, unanimously announced the verdict. The PTI chairman is no more a member of the National Assembly.
The commission stated that Imran Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices in the reference.
Following the announcement, Khan’s party leaders and the coalition government parties reacted to this major ruling.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that PTI should refrain from violence and bow its head before the law.
“The Election Commission did justice in the Toshakhana reference. The nation has seen that the post of Prime Minister has been made a source of personal income through corrupt practices. The idol of honesty and trust was shattered,” the premier added.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz spoke to the media in London. She said, “Khan is Pakistan’s first certified liar with irrefutable evidence of theft.”
She added that after this verdict criminal proceedings should start against Khan and he should be punished for his theft.
Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that Khan has been caught “red-handed”. In a tweet, he stated: “He who would spread lies about the alleged corruption of his political opponents has been caught red-handed.”
The former planning minister, Asad Umar, made an announcement, saying: “The decision will be challenged in court. The dream of ‘minus Imran Khan’ will never come true.”
Umar’s party mate Fawad Chaudhry asked the people to come out of their houses for their rights.
He called the ECP’s ruling a “slap on the face of 220 million people”.
“Not just anyone cannot disqualify Imran Khan. Only the public can do that,” the PTI leader said.
He alleged that today’s verdict was “written by Nawaz Sharif and signed by his servants”.
Alongside him, PTI leader Shahbaz Gill said the PTI would approach “every forum” against the verdict. “Imran has been disqualified from just one seat, not politics,” he added.
Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman, took to Twitter to say that Imran Khan’s disqualification case is no different as he is not the only one who has been disqualified.
In a series of tweets, she said, “Those who claim to bring a neutral umpire want the umpire to decide in their favour, otherwise the decision will not be accepted.”
