PTI Chairman Imran Khan has approached the Islamabad High Court against the Election Commission of Pakistan's decision to disqualify him in the Toshakhana case.
On behalf of Imran Khan, Barrister Ali Zafar filed a petition in the IHC in which it has been requested to annul the decision of the ECP.
The petition can be read below:
Several objections have been raised by the registrar office on the request of Khan. It has been said in the objection that Khan did not get biometric verification done and the certified copy of Khan's disqualification decision is not attached with the application.
Later, the IHC rejected Khan's plea to set the petition for hearing today and set the petition for hearing on Monday.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Islamabad, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry questioned why the ECO decision on Imran's disqualification had not been issued yet, saying the decision is being changed to include things of the government's will.
Chaudhry said that the era of taking decisions in closed rooms has passed. "The most popular leader of the country was disqualified, on which the people expressed their love for Imran Khan," he said.
He highlighted that the PTI made no appeal and yet people from across the country took to the streets.
The purpose of removing a national leader from the political stream is to weaken Pakistan, he said, adding that the people of the country rejected the decision of the chief election commissioner.
A day earlier, the ECP disqualified Khan in the Toshakhana reference, saying he had committed the offence of corrupt practices by making “false statements and submitting incorrect declaration”.
Soon after announcement of the ECP decision, roads in the federal capital became battlefields where the PTI protesters and police were seen attacking each other. The PTI supporters took to the streets and blocked the main entry and exit points in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad against the disqualification of Imran Khan by the ECP.
The PTI protesters blocked all roads with dividers and broke all handrails of Murree Road. The protesters completely locked down Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Police used teargas shelling to disperse the protesters while the PTI supporters pelted the police with stones. Several police officials and PTI supporters became unconscious due to the situation all around Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The PTI supporters blocked the Faizabad Interchange, Murree Road, GT Road at Rawat and T-Chowk points, Highway Road at Sohan point, Expressway Road at Bara Kahu point and Srinagar Highway.
Meanwhile, demonstrations broke out in other parts of the country as well. A large number of PTI workers and leaders gathered at the Insaf House, Karachi, and protested Imran’s disqualification.
However, earlier today, several members of the local leadership of the PTI were booked in a terror case over alleged vandalism during the protests in Islamabad over the party chairman, Imran Khan's, disqualification.
A terror case was registered on the state's behalf at I-9 Police Station. PTI leaders Amir Kayani, Qayyum Abbasi, Faisal Javed, Raja Rashid Hafiz, Umar Tanveer Butt, Rashid Naseem Abbasi and Raja Majid were booked in the case under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
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