ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday directed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to provide the documents in the reference seeking the disqualification of party chair Imran Khan for not sharing details of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their purported sale.
As per the law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the state depository, or the Toshakhana.
The reference was filed by a group of ruling MPs under Article 63 against the former prime minister. Barrister Khalid Ishaq appeared before the ECP on behalf of the coalition government.
Ali Zafar’s assistant counsel appeared as representative for PTI, while Zafar himself could not come due to his schedule.
Zafar’s assistant counsel said that Khan is no longer a member of the assembly and the hearing should be adjourned.
On which Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja remarked that the National Assembly Secretariat is yet to forward the resignation to the commission and, therefore, Khan is still a lawmaker.
A member cannot be de-notified unless the resignations are approved and sent by the speaker, added Raja.
Meanwhile, the commission directed the petitioners in the reference to provide copies of the reference and other relevant documents to the PTI lawyer.
After arguments were presented by the lawyers, the ECP adjourned the case until August 22 along with directing PTI’s counsel to provide the necessary documents.
