The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has adjourned hearing in the disqualification references against Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan and PTI General Secretary Jehangir Tareen. On Monday, the ECP asked Talal Chaudhry's lawyer Akram Sheikh to complete his arguments till today (Tuesday) regarding hearing of these references.
PTI's lawyer Naeem Bokhari argued before the commission that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the disqualification references against Imran Khan as the allegations against him were pre-elections and only returning officers could hear the case. The references against Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen were forwarded by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Bokhari said that Speaker National Assembly is biased on the issue as he has not mentioned the violation of any article in his reference. Akram Sheikh said that decision should not be made by hearing both sides only; rather, it should be based on evidence. On the other hand, PTI leader Naeemul Haq and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Talal Chaudhry strongly criticised each other outside the ECP building.
Criticising the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Chaudhry said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is on a transit visa to Pakistan as he had given the date of his return from Pakistan prior to his homecoming. Talking about the alliance of the PPP with other policital forces, he said PPP should form an alliance. "I say zero plus zero makes zero," he added.