In Rawalpindi, an Election Appellate Tribunal of the Lahore High Court has reserved its decision on the appeal of PTI founder Imran Khan who challenged the returning officer’s decision to reject his nomination papers from NA 89 (Mianwali), reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.
Election Tribunal Judge, Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz reserved the decision. The verdict would be announced on January 10 at 10 am.
Barrister Ali Zafar, Umair Niazi, Lamia Niazi, and other lawyers appeared in the court on behalf of the former PTI chairman.
Barrister Ali Zafar requested that the decision of the returning officer should be annulled.
Imran Khan’s lawyer said that an RO could not decide whether the matter is of moral turpitude or not, whether a person is qualified or not, evidence is required for this, there is nothing like that in the decision of the RO in the case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder. He said that he wanted to refer the Khawaja Mohammad Asif case in 2018.
The tribunal said that in the case of Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the salary was mentioned. The tribunal asked that the things taken from the Toshakhana, were their details given? “We are not discussing the merits of the Toshakhana case here, the money earned by selling the Toshakhana items, was that mentioned?”
The DG Law said that the returning officer has to conduct a brief hearing, if the accused is convicted, he could not contest the election and the Islamabad High Court has disqualified the PTI founder, while the sentence has not been terminated, it’s still there.
The DG further said that the returning officer rejected the papers as per the law, so it is requested that the appeal of the PTI founder be dismissed.
Talking to the media after the appeal hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar said that it is not a case of moral turpitude, rather it’s a case of misdeclaration.
He said that misdeclaration could not be transferred to disqualification.
He said Imran Khan’s sentence has been suspended and Article 63(1)(f) does not apply to him.
Reporter Irshad Qureshi