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Former prime minister disqualified from being a member of parliament over ‘corrupt practices’.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s election fee, in a unanimous resolution, has discovered former Prime Minister Imran Khan responsible of “corrupt practices” and disqualified him from being a member of parliament.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) occasion instantly rejected Friday’s ruling. It mentioned it will file an attraction to the Islamabad Excessive Court docket and known as on supporters to take to the streets.
The case towards Khan was filed in August by a member of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), contending that the previous prime minister had purchased items given by international dignitaries from the state present depository (additionally known as Toshakhana) however didn’t disclose the property within the declarations submitted to the fee.
Chatting with reporters after the decision, PTI chief Fawad Chaudhry known as the fee’s resolution “embarrassing” and a “slap within the face” of Pakistan’s folks.
“This verdict shouldn’t be an assault on Imran Khan solely. It’s an assault on Pakistan’s structure and its folks,” he mentioned.
Khan, who was faraway from his workplace in April by a parliamentary vote of no confidence, has accused the fee of bias, and has singled out its chief, Sikandar Sultan Raja, of prejudice towards him and his occasion.
Toshakhana controversy
The Toshakhana controversy erupted final 12 months when it was disclosed that Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi purchased items from the Toshakhana and later offered them in market at discounted charges.
The PTI, which was the ruling occasion on the time, had initially expressed reluctance to disclose the small print of the items given to Khan, claiming it might probably jeopardide Pakistan’s international relations.
The present depository is a authorities division created within the Nineteen Seventies, which shops items given to rulers, lawmakers, authorities officers and functionaries by heads of states and different international dignitaries.
Toshakhana guidelines state that each one items should be submitted to the division, nonetheless, they’ll later be purchased. Whereas promoting the items shouldn’t be strictly unlawful, many think about it as unethical and morally fallacious.
The case filed towards Khan mentioned the previous prime minister had acquired a complete of 58 bins containing numerous objects throughout his time in workplace.
PMLN petitioner Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha mentioned the previous prime minister was legally required to declare all property belonging to him, his spouse and dependents to the fee on the finish of each monetary 12 months.
The reference argued that failing to take action rendered Khan “dishonest” and thus disqualified him from collaborating in parliamentary politics for all times below Pakistani Structure.
Khan was additionally accused of “intentionally” hiding the items that he purchased from Toshakhana, however later confessed to having offered these items, with out disclosing the small print to the fee.
