ECP reserves verdict in Toshakhana disqualification reference
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved its verdict in the Toshakhana disqualification reference filed against former prime minister Imran Khan.
The reference was filed against the PTI chairman by the coalition government, for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.
Toshakhana is a department, established in 1974, under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.
According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.
However, the PTI, while in government, had been reluctant to disclose details of the gifts presented to Imran Khan since he assumed office in 2018, maintaining that doing so would jeopardize international ties, even as the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) ordered it to do so.
On August 4, lawmakers from the Pakistan Democratic Movement — which is part of the ruling alliance filed a reference for the PTI chief’s disqualification from public office under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution over his hesitance to share the details of Toshakhana gifts.
They submitted the reference to the NA speaker who subsequently forwarded it to the Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja for further action.
In its hearing on Aug 29, the ECP had sought a written reply from Imran by Sep 8. In his reply, the PTI chief admitted to having sold at least four presents he had received during his tenure as the prime minister of Pakistan.
The former premier, in his reply, maintained that the sale of the gifts that he had procured from the state treasury after paying Rs21.56 million fetched about Rs58 million. One of the gifts included a Graff wristwatch, a pair of cuff links, an expensive pen, and a ring while the other three gifts included four Rolex watches.
However, during the hearing today, PML-N counsel Khalid Ishaq said Imran was asked about reasons for not declaring the gifts. But, in his reply, the PTI chief admitted receiving the gifts as well as not disclosing them.
He quoted the PTI chief as saying in his response that he did not declare items of daily necessities.
“One cufflink that Imran did not declare is priced at Rs5.7 million,” Ishaq said.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the ECP reserved the verdict in the case.
Reference
The reference against Imran was filed by MNA Barrister Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha carrying signatures of lawmakers Agha Hassan Baloch, Salahudeen Ayubi, Ali Gohar Khan, Syed Rafiullah Agha, and Saad Waseem Sheikh and it was subsequently forwarded to the CEC Raja through the National Assembly speaker.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is confident Imran Khan is going to be disqualified in the reference as they say he has not declared in his assets the amount he received from the alleged sale of state gifts.
In their disqualification reference, MNAs from the ruling alliance included documentary evidence to corroborate their claims against the ex-PM and sought his disqualification under Sections 2 and 3 of Article 63 of the Constitution, read with Article 62(1)(f).
ECP reserves verdict in Toshakhana disqualification reference
Article 62(1)(f) says: “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”.
