— Protestors will head towards Islamabad on Friday, announces spokesperson
— Former PM visits home of reporter killed in march to offer condolences
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has announced legal action against Sikandar Sultan Raja, the chief election commissioner (CEC), claiming defamation and seeking punitive damages of Rs10 billion.
On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Khan from running for political office, declaring he misled officials about foreign gifts he received while in power.
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, but are allowed to keep those below a certain value.
More expensive items must go to Toshakhana, 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.
Addressing the participants of his protest march as it entered the fourth day, Khan announced he will send an Rs10 billion defamation notice to Raja for nominating him in the reference and questioning his honesty.
سکندر سلطان! تم نے میری دیانتداری پر سوال اٹھایا، میں تمھیں 10 ارب روپے ہرجانے کا نوٹس بھجوانے لگا ہوں اور میں چیلنج کرتا ہوں کہ جب عدالت میں کیس سنا جائے گا ایک بھی غیر قانونی چیز نہیں نکلے گی۔ عمران خان
#حقیقی_آزادی_لانگ_مارچ pic.twitter.com/Mt9eUQAaPC
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 31, 2022
“Sikandar Sultan! I will get the money for the damages from you,” Khan thundered, announcing to donate the sum to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.
“I will pay the damages that I win to the [Shaukat Khanum] hospital. Sikander Sultan! you cast a doubt on my integrity,” Khan further added.
On the fourth day of the protest, the participants were expected to arrive in Gujranwala, announced Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party.
عمران خان کی قیادت میں آج #حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ گوجرانوالہ پہنچے گا، کراچی سے قافلہ آج حیدرآباد اور سکھر کے راستے اسلام آباد کیلئے روانہ ہو گا جب کہ پختونخواہ کا قافلہ بدہ کو نکلے گا، یہ تمام قافلے اسلام آباد پہنچیں گے، لاکھوں لوگوں کا یہ اجتماع اپنے جمہوری حقوق چاہتا ہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 31, 2022
He also said the caravan from Karachi will start its journey towards Islamabad later today while protesters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will set out for the capital on Wednesday.
In a separate statement, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, spokesperson to Punjab chief minister, while announcing the plan for the second phase of the march, said protesters from across the country will head to Islamabad on Friday.
Later in the day, Khan also visited the residence of Sadaf Naeem, a reporter who was accidentally crushed to death while covering the march for Channel 5 TV, to convey his condolences.
چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی عمران خان شہید صحافی صدف نعیم کے گھر تعزیت کیلئے پہنچ گئے۔ pic.twitter.com/T9KrNPhLoB
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 31, 2022
The government of Punjab, where the convoy is on the road, has said it will bear the living costs and educational expenses of Naeem’s two children, aged 17 and 21.
— This is a developing story
