Islamabad (Web Desk): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday acquitted Yousaf Raza Gilani, dismissing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) petition filed for his disqualification from the Senate seat.
Announcing its decision, the ECP said that no evidence was found against Yousaf Raza Gilani.
However, the District Election Commissioner Islamabad was directed to take action against Ali Haider Gilani, MNA Faheem Khan and Jamil Ahmad Khan for their involvement in corrupt practices.
In its order, the Election Commission stated that it had been "proved" that Ali, Faheem and Jamil had indulged in corrupt practices, adding the punishment under Sections 167 and 168 could be up to three years in jail or a fine of Rs100,000 or both.
The PTI had filed a petition seeking disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator-elect Yousuf Raza Gilaniin 2021, asking the ECP to stop the issuance of the notification confirming Gilani’s victory on a general seat from Islamabad in the Senate elections.
The petition was filed by PTI’s Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari and Kanwal Shauzab on the basis of a leaked audio clip, purportedly of Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah bargaining with four PTI lawmakers for their votes in the Senate elections and a video of Ali in which he appears to be showing some PTI MNAs techniques on how to waste their votes.
Gilani had defeated the PTI candidate Hafeez Sheikh, triggering a debate in political circles about the cracks in the then ruling coalition which had a majority in the National Assembly.
