In a dramatic development, Pakistan's top electoral watchdog has disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan for five years after his conviction and arrest in the Toshakhana case.
In a notification, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was disqualified after being found guilty of corrupt practices and his subsequent sentencing for three years, Geo News reported.
“As a consequence, Mr Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi has become disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan read with Section 232 of the Elections Act,2017,” the notification said.
On Saturday, Khan was arrested shortly after an Islamabad trial court declared him guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three years in prison. The court likewise forced a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Imran and if he neglects to do as such, he will have to stay in prison for six extra months.
The case relates to the charges that the former PM "intentionally hid" subtleties of the gifts he held from the Toshaskhana — a storehouse where presents gave to government authorities from unfamiliar authorities are kept — during his tenure as the prime minister, and proceeds from their revealed deals.
Imran Khan's appeal against his conviction
The ECP notification came after Khan appealed his conviction and sentencing by a trial court, claiming that the verdict was passed by a 'biased' judge and it was "a gross travesty of justice".
Khan filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) through his lawyers against the August 5 verdict sentencing him to three years in prison, accusing the judgment to be "tainted with bias" and a "nullity in the eye of the law and liable to be set aside", Dawn reported
The plea further argued that the verdict was "already written" by the judge, as it took only 30 minutes to "dictate more than 35 years", further calling the proceedings "a slap in the face of due process and fair trial".
“The prosecution has not let any evidence whatsoever that the appellant had transferred any asset during any of the relevant financial years without adequate consideration or by revocable transfer," it added.
Meanwhile, his party has moved the Supreme Court against his imprisonment in Attock jail, claiming he was kept in appalling conditions.
Over 200 supporters of Khan arrested in Punjab province
Meanwhile, over 200 PTI party members and supporters of Imran Khan have been arrested across Punjab province, including those who resisted his arrest on Saturday, announced the police on Tuesday. The party alleged that the police was raiding the houses of PTI office-bearers.
Police further informed that over a dozen supporters of the former premier have been booked for terrorism. Those present with Khan had attacked and snatched weapons from the police and threatened to kill them, claims the FIR.
Additionally, the lawyer's wing of the PTI, Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF), held an anti-government demonstration outside the Lahore High Court both on Monday and Tuesday for sentencing Khan in a 'fake case'. "It seems the Constitution no longer exists, and there is no rule of law in Pakistan. The courts have failed to protect the Constitution and the rights of the people," said ILF leader Advocate Sardar Azeemullah Khan.
It is worth mentioning that Khan faces over 140 cases across the country including charges of terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption and murder, ahead of Pakistan's general election scheduled in November. He was ousted in a no-confidence vote last year.
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