ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a plea seeking the removal of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from party chairmanship and withdrawing bat from the party as election symbol for contesting elections.

A five-member commission of the top electoral body heard the plea seeking the removal of the PTI chief from the party chairmanship.

The counsel for the petitioner, Khalid Mehmood Khan, appeared before the commission.

During the proceedings, the counsel for the petitioner said that the PTI chairman had been convicted in Toshakhana case after which he had no right to head the party.

In the case of Nawaz Sharif, he added, an order was issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, adding Sharif was removed as head of the party following the top court’s order.

Member Election Commission from Sindh asked what clauses the Election Act had in this regard. To which, the lawyer said that the Political Parties Act had a clause in this regard but the Election Act was silent in that context.

As the commission inquired from the petitioner’s counsel what would happen if the PTI chairman’s appeal was accepted, the lawyer said the PTI chief would take back his office.

The chief election commissioner inquired about the difference between the PTI chief’s and Nawaz Sharif’s cases.

To which the counsel for the petitioner said that Sharif was disqualified by the top court of the country, while there are the verdicts of the ECP and the trial court against the PTI chief.

With this, the court reserved its verdict.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023