CEC says Imran still an MNA as per ECP record

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja said on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan was still a member of the National Assembly, as per record of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Hearing the Toshakhana reference against Imran, the CEC rejected the notion that ECP was not accepting the resignations of PTI lawmakers, which were tendered immediately after the former prime minister was ousted from the government through a no-confidence motion in April this year.

“It is repeatedly said that the ECP is not accepting resignations. Show [any proof] if former deputy speaker [Qasim Suri] sent any resignations,” the CEC told lawyer Gohar Khan, who represented the PTI lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar.

Barrister Gohar Khan had argued that “Imran Khan is not a member of the assembly therefore a notice cannot be issued to him”. However, the CEC replied: “According to the ECP’s records, Imran Khan is still a member of the assembly.”

The lawyer further argued that if lawmaker resigned from the assembly and did not attend the assembly proceedings, the resignation was considered as accepted. The CEC snubbed the lawyer, saying that he should speak of laws, adding: “Save other discussions for the TV.”

The reference was filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha earlier this month. He sought disqualification of the PTI chief for not disclosing the gifts his received from Toshakhana.

The petitioner has sought Imran’s disqualification under sections 2 and 3 of the Article 63 of the Constitution and the Article 62(1)(f) – the same provision under which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified in 2017.

A five-member bench of the ECP, headed by CEC Raja took up the reference for the first time on Thursday. Barrister Gohar Khan sought adjournment of the proceedings because of the absence of Barrister Ali Zafar. The CEC adjourned the reference's hearing till August 22.