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Tuesday November 26, 2024

ECP to announce verdict in Toshakhana reference against Imran Khan tomorrow

The judgement in Toshakhana reference filed against the PTI chair will be announced at 2pm

By Nausheen Yusuf
October 20, 2022
PTI Chairman Imran Khan. -Courtesy PTI Instagram/file
PTI Chairman Imran Khan. -Courtesy PTI Instagram/file

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will announce its verdict in the Toshakhana reference filed against former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday (tomorrow).

According to a notice issued by the ECP, the reference related to the disqualification of Imran Khan, filed by  MNA Ali Gohar khan and five others under Article 63 of the Constitution, has been fixed for the announcement of the order on Friday, October 21, at 2pm.

ECP to announce verdict in Toshakhana reference against Imran Khan tomorrow

The election commission directed all the concerned parties to appear in person or through counsels before the electoral watchdog at its secretariat tomorrow.

ECP to announce verdict in Toshakhana reference against Imran Khan tomorrow


Meanwhile, the ECP has asked the Islamabad police to ensure foolproof security arrangements at its Islamabad secretariat building to “avoid any untoward incident” on the eve of the announcement of judgment in the high-profile case.

On September 19, the ECP reserved its verdict in the Toshakhana case filed against former prime minister Khan following months of hearings. After hearing arguments, a five-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, reserved its ruling.

The reference

In August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP under Articles 62A, 63A and 223, seeking Khan’s disqualification in the light of the Toshakhana scam.

The disqualification reference was filed by Ali Gohar Khan, PMLN’s Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha, and five others.

The 28-page reference identified 52 gift items of Toshakhana received by former prime minister Imran, violating the law and rules, taken away at nominal prices and most of the gifts were sold in the market, including some precious watches.

The assessed value of the gifts has been put at Rs 142,042,100. The gifts were received between August 2018 and December 2021.

According to PML-N MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Imran Khan concealed information about the gift of watches by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in his statement of assets submitted in 2018-2019.

This withholding of information is tantamount to lying which, according to MNA Mohsin Ranjha, is a crime under Section 137 declaring that Imran Khan is no more Sadiq and Ameen, slapping disqualification for life from contesting the election under Article 62(1)(f), Article 2, Article 3 of the Constitution.

Article 62(1)(f) is the same legal instrument that disqualified former PM Nawaz Sharif from contesting elections and led to his removal from power, Ranjha said.