IHC to take up Imran’s disqualification case on 19th

Will hear PTI chief’s plea for virtual appearance in courts on April 12

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to disqualify him in the Toshakhana–gifts repository—case on April 19.

According to the cause list issued by the IHC Registrar's Office on Saturday, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will hear the petition.

The ECP on October  21, 2022 disqualified Imran Khan under Article 63(1)(p) for making “false statements and incorrect declaration” with regard to gifts received from foreign dignitaries during his term as the prime minister, triggering protests in various cities.

The electoral body on October 25 withheld the notification of Imran Khan’s victory on six National Assembly seats—that he won in October 16, 2022 by-elections—while de-seating him as a Member National Assembly (MNA) from his hometown of Mianwali.

On February 24, the ECP also de-notified the former prime minister from the six NA seats.

Imran later moved the IHC against the ECP’s decision and the court restrained the polls supervisory authority from conducting election at NA-95 Mianwali, the National Assembly seat that Imran Khan had retained after becoming prime minister in August 18, 2018.

The IHC will also hear on April 12 Imran Khan’s application seeking permission to appear in Islamabad courts through video. Chief Justice Farooq will hear the application.

The court has already sought replies in this connection from the Ministry of Interior, Law and Justice, inspector general of police (IGP) and others. The court last week directed the Registrar's Office to schedule the application for hearing.

Imran Khan has filed the application through Salman Akram Raja and Faisal Chaudhry requesting the court to allow him to appear in courts in Islamabad hearing cases against him through video link in view of death threats.