ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has asked his supporters protesting across the country against the ECP verdict disqualifying him in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference to end protests and wait for his call for the long march.
“I will give you a call [for long march] and this will be the country’s largest protest movement. This movement will not stop until the rule of law is established in the country,” he announced in a pre-recorded message.
He asked the PTI supporters to disperse, saying: “You are already in a difficult phase and I don’t want you to remain in trouble.”
Earlier on Friday, a four-member ECP bench declared Imran Khan’s National Assembly seat vacant as it unanimously decided that he had provided incorrect information in the case and disqualified him “for the time being”.
The verdict de-seated Imran as per Article-63 (A) and ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings against him for submitting a false statement. However, the ECP shied away from declaring the deposed premier disqualified for life.
The PTI leadership has announced that it will challenge the decision in court.
Denying wrongdoing in the Toshakhana case, Imran said he would move court against the ECP verdict disqualifying him for submitting an “incorrect declaration” and added that no illegality would be found in the case.
He accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja of being biased and part of the “mafia plotting to keep him out of the match [politics]”.
He added, “I was expecting this verdict and I told other party leaders a day earlier that I will be disqualified in the case.”
Imran, who was removed from premiership via a vote of no-confidence in April this year, said the same case against former premier Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari had been pending before the ECP for the last 10 years.
“Nawaz and Zardari violated Toshakhana rules… but the ECP instead of taking action against them disqualified me.”
The PTI chief said that the ECP has been giving verdicts against and courts overturned its rulings “because they were against the law”.
Calling the incumbent rulers ‘mafia,’ Imran said they were planning to minus him from politics through trumped charges.
The deposed PM said his opponents have realised after by-election results that they could not defeat him in the polls. “The mafia has been trying to get rid of the PTI which is the only largest federal party of the country.”
Warning about the consequences of banishing his party, Imran cited an example of 1971 fall of Dhaka saying West Pakistan separated from the country when the mandate of the largest political party was not respected.
The PTI chief went on to say that he was disqualified because attempts were “being made to treat him in the same manner like [former premier] Nawaz Sharif”, who was disqualified for life in 2017.
“They are comparing me with Nawaz who failed to submit a single document to establish the sources of his assets while on the other hand, I submitted all documents to the Supreme Court.”
