Cabinet gives nod to placing Imran Khan's name in ECL
Pakistan
Cabinet gives nod to placing Imran Khan’s name in ECL
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Days after Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in its unanimous verdict announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had received funding from prohibited sources, the federal cabinet approved placing former prime minister Imran Khan’s name in the Exit Control List (ECL).
On Tuesday, a three-member bench of Election Commission of Pakistan headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi in its reserved verdict declared that PTI has received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and 34 foreigners including from the United States.
Unknown accounts also came to light, said the commission in its verdict, adding that hiding accounts was a “violation” of Article 17 of the Constitution.
The commission issued show cause notice to the PTI to explain why the commission should not seize the funds it received.
According to the judgment, PTI concealed thirteen accounts from the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The ECP also said that former prime minister Imran Khan had submitted misdeclaration in the PTI prohibited funding case.
The case was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar and was pending since November 14, 2014. Babar had alleged serious financial irregularities in the party’s funding from Pakistan and abroad.
PDM files reference
On the other hand, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had filed a reference in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha submitted the reference to ECP under Article 63.
The reference plead that the PTI Chairman did not disclose the gifts received from Toshakhana in assets and he should be disqualified under Article 62 (1) (F), which sets the precondition for a member of parliament to be "sadiq and ameen" (honest and righteous).
