The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has disqualified the ex-prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan under Article 63 of the Constitution. According to ECP, Imran Khan was involved in corrupt practices and the documents submitted by him were not correct in Toshakhana (Treasure House) Case.
What is Toshakhana Case?
Toshakhana (Treasure House) is a department in Pakistan that takes care of all gifts given by different states and governments to the PM and President of Pakistan. Imran Khan during his tenure (2018-22) being prime minister of Pakistan received 58 gifts from different states and governments. There were charges against him that he illegally sold these gifts below the actual price and details were not declared to ECP.
A five members bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja gave a unanimous verdict against Imran Khan. In the decision announced by the Election Commission, it has been said that Imran Khan is no longer a member of the National Assembly, the answer submitted by Imran Khan was not correct, he has been involved in corrupt practices, and his seat in the National Assembly is declared as null and void (vacant), and the legal action should be initiated against him. The Election Commission has disqualified Chairman Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan under Article 63-A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry and Shehbaz Gill have refused to accept the decision of the Election Commission regarding Imran Khan’s disqualification and said that the way this judgment was made; it never happened before in this country, a decision which was against the will of 220 million people of Pakistan. “We had no hope of justice from the Election Commission, this event provided a ground for the revolution in Pakistan” they added. The PTI leadership blamed the Chief Election Commissioner for favoring the government parties and having an inclination towards the sitting government.
Speaker National Assembly Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf sent a Toshakhana reference against Imran Khan to the Election Commission at the request of the members of the National Assembly in August 2022, demanding his disqualification. In the reference, it was said that Imran Khan neither submitted the details of gifts taken from Toshakhana nor the money earned from the sale of these gifts in his assets. It is claimed that Imran Khan purchased some gifts, but most of them were taken home without payment.
According to the reference document, Imran Khan received gifts worth more than PKR 142 million from Toshakhana, he paid PKR 38 million for these gifts. The former first lady, Imran Khan’s wife received necklaces, bracelets, and rings worth PKR 5.86 million while Imran Khan got a watch, cufflinks, pen, and ring by paying PKR 22.7 million.
In the reply submitted by Imran Khan to the Election Commission, it was said that the Toshakhana reference against him is unjustified and baseless. The reference is malicious and the case is framed for political purposes, which is abuse and contempt of constitutional powers. Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf said that sending the reference to the Election Commission is illegal as it is not within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, and it is not hearable at ECP, so I deny all the allegations.
The Toshakhana scandal has been in the news for a long time due to allegations that Imran Khan and his wife, former first lady Bushra Bibi, bought gifts from Toshakhana at cheap prices and then sold them. PTI challenged the Election Commission’s decision in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Through a video statement, former Prime Minister Imran Khan responded to the ECP’s decision and said, “Chief Election Commissioner has supported the mafia”. He thanked his workers for protesting against this decision and directed them to end the protest. He said to PTI workers, “you should end the protest because people will be in trouble due to demonstrations on the roads. I do not want my people to be in trouble. I will call you, this will be the biggest march in the history of Pakistan, we will continue our efforts until this country gets freedom in reality”.
According to local media, PTI activists tried to enter Islamabad through Faizabad (the junction point of the twin cities), but they clashed with the policemen posted there. Police personnel fired tear gas to disperse the protesters while workers burnt tires.
The federal capital police said that any peaceful protest is a legal right of citizens, but blocking roads and damaging government property is against the law. In a statement, the Islamabad Police has requested the provincial governments to stop illegal gatherings coming to the federal capital.
While reacting to the decision regarding the disqualification of Imran Khan, in a Twitter message Prime Minister Mr. Shehbaz Sharif said “the nation saw that the post of PM was made a source of personal income by doing corrupt practices”
Federal Law Minister Nazir Tarar believed that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was disqualified after his corruption was proved in the Toshakhana reference filed in the Election Commission. During a short conversation with EAT News, Mr. Tarar said, “Imran Khan decided the price of the gifts himself and sold them and did not disclose this amount in his tax returns. He had not revealed the money received from gifts in the assets in the statements of 2019, 2020, and 2021”.
The PTI chief announced that soon he will give a call for the long march so the workers should remain prepared. Political instability is increasing in Pakistan, a common man is already suffering due to inflation in the country, independent analysts think that if solid steps won’t be taken, it will increase chaos in Pakistan.
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