ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday dismissed disqualification references against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen, declaring them non-maintainable.
The references had been filed with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq by PML-N lawmakers in August. Deeming the references valid, the speaker had forwarded them to the ECP in September last year.
Addressing the media after the announcement, PTI spokesperson Naeemul Haque said his party was very much satisfied with the ECP decision. “The speaker’s reference was based on malafide intentions,” he said, and demanded that Ayaz Sadiq should be disqualified after the ECP decision.
Following the commission’s decision, the party has decided to launch a protest against Ayaz Sadiq, he said, and demanded immediate resignation from the speaker.
He said today was a historic day as it dawned with the win of the truth and defeat of the lies. He said the ECP decision proved that politics of Imran Khan was based on truth. He said Ayaz Sadiq sent references to the ECP just to save his leader.
Naeem said his party was now filing petition against Sharif brothers for their ‘self-glorifying’ advertisements from the national exchequer. He expressed the hope that Panamagate case verdict would be released soon, and that ‘it will be based on the truth’.
He insisted that the PTI wanted next general elections to be free, fair and transparent. “We want elections to remain clean and clear so that no party or individual has reasons to object to it,” he said.
PML-N lawmakers Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry and others had submitted references against PTI chief and party’s secretary-general after PTI filed references against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last year seeking his disqualification.
The reference against Imran Khan mentioned that he held an offshore company and properties abroad besides raising questions on his income, Bani Gala house and investments made in the foreign countries.
Rejecting PTI’s references against the prime minister, the speaker had forwarded references against PTI leaders to the ECP. The case was referred to the ECP in September last year and the stipulated duration of 90 days for an ECP decision on these references had already expired.
