ECP summons Imran, Tareen on Nov 16

Reference claimes that senior PTI leader hid his assets, similar financial irregularities were levelled against Khan

ISLAMABAD: Amidst intensified political and legal wrangling between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned PTI chief Imran Khan and general secretary Jahangir Tareen to appear before it on November 16.

The two party leaders will respond to references sent against them by the National Assembly speaker.



In a tit-for-tat response to the opposition’s references for disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, some ruling party members in August filed references against Imran and Tareen with the office of speaker, asking him to disqualify them as members of the National Assembly.

In their references, PML lawmakers – Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry and Maiza Hameed –had alleged that Tareen during his term as federal minister in Musharraf’s regime received Rs101 million in loans from Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) in the name of Tandlianwala Sugar Mills. They claimed Tareen later got the loan written off in 2005.

The reference also claimed that the senior PTI leader also hid his assets. Allegations of similar financial irregularities were levelled against PTI supremo Imran Khan. The PTI’s reference against the prime minister was related to his alleged misconduct exposed in Panama Papers.



In a controversial move, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had rejected references against the PM. However, on September 5, he forwarded two separate references against Imran and Tareen to the ECP, stating that he viewed allegations levelled against these PTI leaders as substantial.

On Wednesday Hamid Khan appeared before the commission on behalf of both the respondents.

The commission told the PTI counsel that references sent by the speaker were time bound which have to be decided within 90 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2016.