The LHC three-member bench led by Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti has held that the petitions have become infractuous, and thus the petitioners have withdrawn their petitions.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Jan 9th, 2023) The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of a petition against Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to disqualify PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
A LHC three-member bench led by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti heard the case. Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi were the other members of the bench.
The bench held that the petition filed by a citizen, Jabir Ali, through his lawyer Azhar Siddique had become infractuous.
During the proceeding, the chief justice observed that the petition had apparently become infructuous as Imran Khan had himself challenged his disqualification.
Later, the high court disposed of the petition after Advocate Azhar Siddique withdrew it.
The bench disposed of the petition seeking removal of Mr Khan as the PTI chairman as the electoral body initiated proceedings in the case by issuing a notice to the former prime minster.
The ECP last year in Oct had disqualified the PTI chief for not disclosing the gifts he obtained from the Toshakhana.
The ECP, in it's verdict, held that Imran Khan deliberately submitted the wrong returns to the ECP, pointing out that the former PM did not disclose the gifts received in the returns.
"The bank’s record of gifts presented by Imran Khan does not correspond to the value of the gifts," it added. It further stated that the money received from the sale of gifts was not disclosed in 2018-19, and that Imran Khan concealed facts in the returns of the financial year 2020–21 and violated sections 137, 167, and 173 of the Election Act.
It held that the PTI chairman’s disqualification was done under Sections 137 and 173 of the Election Act.
