‘Selling PTI tickets’
The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday received a complaint against former prime minister Imran Khan, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar and others for engaging in corrupt practices, bribery and for selling the party tickets for Punjab Assembly elections.
The development comes after an audio recording surfaced on Saturday in which Nisar’s son Najam Saqib could be heard talking to two other people about taking not less than “120” in exchange for a ticket.
The complaint was filed by Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan and Atta Tarar, both PML-N leaders, before the ECP.
According to the complaint, Imran Khan and other members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were involved in the sale of tickets for the Punjab Assembly elections. The complaint alleges that the accused violated the code of conduct of the electoral body.
The accused include Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, Saqib Nisar, Najam Saqib, Abuzar Chaudhary, Mian Uzair, Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, and Asad Umar.
The complainants are seeking the intervention of the ECP against what they describe as “the blatant and outright violations of the law and the Constitution”.
“Under Article 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, imposes the disqualification of members from the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), or from contesting to be a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora, if one is found involved in corruption, bribery and moral turpitude.
The Accused have very blatantly and with impunity committed acts of great moral turpitude, which involves both bribery and corruption,” it stated.
The reference said that it is within the mandate of the ECP to disqualify them from contesting elections as candidates based on these grounds.