— Former PM requests court to declare reference ‘illegal, unlawful’
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to disqualify him from holding office, declaring he had unlawfully sold state gifts and concealed the profit made from selling them as prime minister.
The case centres on a government department known as Toshakhana — which during the Mughal era referred to the treasure houses kept by the subcontinent’s princely rulers to store and display gifts lavished on them.
Government officials must declare all gifts to the Cabinet Division, but are allowed to keep those below a certain value.
More expensive items must go to Toshakhana under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division, but in some cases, the recipient can buy them back at around 50 percent of their value — a discount Khan raised from 20 percent while in office.
The ruling coalition of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has for months alleged the former prime minister and his wife received lavish gifts worth millions during trips abroad. They included luxury watches, jewellery, designer handbags and perfumes.
Khan is accused of failing to declare some gifts, or the profit made from selling them.
The matter will be taken up by Justice Athar Minallah, chief of the high court, on Monday.
In his petition, Syed Ali Zafar, counsel for Khan, requested the court that the order be declared “against the settled principles of law” on Article 63, “misconceived”, and set aside.
The former prime minister also sought a court declaration stating that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to decide “any questions of ‘corrupt practices and disqualification’” under the Election Act and Election Rules, 2017.
Moreover, “declare that the [disqualification] reference itself is incompetent, illegal, unlawful and without lawful authority, mala fide and devoid of force and in the circumstances of the instant case, declare it null and void in the interest of justice,” the plea read.
In the meanwhile, the plea added, the court may kindly suspend the operation of the ECP’s order and restrain further proceedings by the commission or its behest till its disposal.
The ECP, the National Assembly speaker and house’s secretary and multiple MPs have been nominated as respondents.
Zafar had sought same-day hearing of the case. However, the court turned down the request and scheduled the hearing for Monday.
The case is likely to deepen lingering political turmoil in the country struggling with a spiraling economy, food shortages and the aftermath of unprecedented floods this summer that killed 1,725 people, displaced hundreds of thousands and triggered a surge in malaria and other flood-related diseases.
Last night, Rana Sanaullah Khan, minister for interior, said that Khan would now be tried in a court of law. Azam Nazir Tarar, minister for law and justice, said the body had also recommended that Khan be tried on charges of concealing assets.
— With input from AFP, AP
