Hearing on Imran’s disqualification reference today

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will take up a reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan seeking his disqualification in the Toshakhana case today (Thursday).

A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja will hear the reference submitted by PML-N MNA Barrister Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha earlier this month.

The reference demands of the electoral watchdog to disqualify Imran under Sections 2 and 3 of Article 63 of the Constitution, read with Article 62(1)(f) – the same provision under which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified in 2017.

It reads: “A person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) unless […] he is sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.”

Besides, the ECP will also hear the application regarding the PML-Q intra-party elections. Counsels for both Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi groups will present their arguments.