Description:

ISLAMABAD: PTI leader Fawad Hussain Chaudhry on Friday blasted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for disqualifying party chairman Imran Khan from political office after his lawyers failed to prove his innocence in the Toshakhan reference case.

Reactions are pouring in from all quarters after the ECP barred PTI Chairman Imran Khan from detaining anyone on charges of stealing donations received from international leaders.

Fawad Chaudry said that ECP"s attitude was always worst. “We never had any hopes for it.

“It"s a shameful decision. They have brought shame to a nation of 220 million."

Calling the decision an attack on Pakistani institutions, Fawad called on PTI cohorts and the general public to come out in protest against the outrage.

Speaking to the media after the verdict, Chaudhry said the commission had delivered the verdict they had hoped for. “They are only targeting Imran Khan,” he said.

The PTI leader said that the ECP and its members are not competent to take this decision. "Who are you [ECP] to take this decision?" he asked.

"Verdict written by Nawaz Sharif"
Former Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill said that the decision was taken by Nawaz Sharif"s servant.

"Nawaz Sharif wrote this verdict and his subordinate signed and announced it," he added.

He said the verdict was to be announced at 2pm and before that all the gates were closed and the media was not allowed inside. "If this decision was justified, then what were they afraid of?" he asked.

"This decision is written by a refugee and the nation rejects them," Gill said.

PTI leader Asad Umar also condemned the decision as a travesty of justice.

"The verdict will soon be challenged in court and their dream of "minus-Imran-Khan" will never come true," Umar said in a message posted on his Twitter handle.

THE CASE 

In August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP under Articles 62A, 63A and 223 demanding the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in light of the Toshakhan scam.

The disqualification reference was filed by PML-N"s Ali Gohar Khan, Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha and five others.

The 28-page reference identified 52 gift items from Toshakhana received by former Prime Minister Khan in violation of law and rules, were taken at nominal prices and most of the gifts were sold in the market, including some rare watches.

The estimated value of the donations was put at Rs 142,042,100. Donations were accepted between August 2018 and December 2021.