Pakistan poll panel moves to oust Imran as PTI chief

Islamabad, December 6

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday initiated the process to remove Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan from his post following his disqualification in the Toshakhana case.

A notice has been issued to the former prime minister and the case has been fixed for hearing on December 13, the Dawn newspaper reported, quoting an ECP official. Khan, former PM, is in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and sold them for a profit.

He was later disqualified by the ECP for making “false statements and incorrect declaration.” According to the ECP records, the gifts were purchased from the Toshakhana, the state depository established in 1974, for Rs 21.5 million on the basis of their assessed value, while they were valued at around Rs 108 million.

According to Pakistani law, overseas presents need to be deposited in the Toshakhana or treasury for valuation before allowing a recipient to keep it. Officials in the government are required to report any gifts they receive, but they have a threshold below which they don’t have to disclose the full value.

PTI party officials said no law bars a convict from becoming an office-bearer of a political party.

Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Khan on Monday approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the government’s inquiry into the audio leaks related to the US cypher.

The former international-cricketer-turned-politician Khan, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament. — PTI

Illegal gifts

• Imran bought gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as premier, at a discounted price and selling them for profit
• He was later disqualified for making ‘false statements and incorrect declaration’
• The gifts were purchased from the Toshakhana for Rs 21.5 million, while they were valued at around Rs 108 million
• According to law, overseas presents need to be deposited in the treasury

#imran khan #Pakistan