Govt mulls legal action for Imran's disqualification

The federal government has decided to take legal action against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, seeking disqualification following the announcement of a prohibited funding case by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a day earlier, Express News reported.

This was decided during a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The representatives of other allied parties also attended the meeting which discussed various political matters and the current scenario in the country.

Read more: PTI plays funding verdict down, ruling coalition says Imran proven 'guilty'

Sources privy to the development said that the meeting has decided to get approval for putting Imran Khan and other party leaders' names on the Exit Control List (ECL). The matter will be presented during Thursday's cabinet meeting.

Operation clean sweep

The allied parties decided that no party including the PTI would be allowed to protest in Islamabad's Red Zone. The sources added that the government is mulling launching an "operation clean sweep" against the PTI's provincial and central leadership in the coming days. As per the details, multiple teams would take part in the operation simultaneously throughout Pakistan.

The insiders revealed that after the ECP's verdict, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other departments concerned can take action against Imran and other party leaders. However, the advice of legal experts would be sought in this regard before taking any step.

Also read: ECP says PTI received 'prohibited funds' from 34 foreign nationals

In the meeting, it was also decided in principle to take legal action for the disqualification of the PTI chairman. The sources further revealed that the PTI leaders including Asad Qaiser, Qasim Suri, Imran Ismail, Shah Farman, Mian Mahmood and other leaders will be arrested and legal action would be taken against them.

It was decided that PTI MNA Najeeb Haroon, MPA Samar Ali Khan, and former MPA Seema Zia would also face action by the authorities. Other PTI members on the list include Tahir Iqbal, Mohammad Noman Afzal, Mohammad Arshad and Mohammad Rafique.

On Tuesday, the ECP said the former ruling party received 'prohibited funds' from 34 foreign nationals and 351 companies based outside the country.

The PTI was issued a show cause notice after the unanimous verdict — reserved in June earlier this year – by the three-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja.

The electoral watchdog also declared that 13 'unknown' accounts have been found linked to the party and the submissions by PTI chief Imran Khan were 'inaccurate and wrong'.

The former premier had personally issued certificates to the ECP in regards to Article 13(2) of the PPO to the effect that PTI “does not receive funds from prohibited sources”, meaning thereby that the PTI is not a foreign-aided political party.

The election commission, in its verdict, also stated the party violated Article 17(3) (3) of the Constitution as the PTI failed to declare three bank accounts operated by the party's senior leadership and the concealment of 16 bank accounts by the party was a "serious lapse".