Islamabad (Staff Report): The 3-member Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing the disqualification case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan today.
The disqualification petition was moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hanif Abbasi against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PTI leader Jahangir Tareen.
Abbasi’s petition accuses the PTI leader of not declaring his assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and seeks to unseat him based on alleged violations of the Income Tax Ordinance 1979 and Peoples Act 1974.
Earlier during Wednesday’s hearing, the chief justice observed that the law does not permit collection of funds from international companies, saying the PTI chairman’s counsel will have to clarify this matter. The bench also summoned, for the second time, a copy of Imran Khan’s passport for verification of the ‘non-resident’ status.
At Wednesday's hearing, Abbasi's counsel Akram Sheikh contended “how someone who submitted a false certificate be considered sadiq [honest] and amin [truthful]".
Justice Bandial observed that the receipt of prohibited funds has to be established first. The chief justice remarked that it is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) job to determine if prohibited funds were acquired by the PTI.
In response, Sheikh contended that the ECP has no say in this matter, and that if a commission [by the ECP] is formed, it should be asked to completely probe the matter.
