Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan to contest elections from three constituencies

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala jail, will contest polls from at least three constituencies in the general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf announced on Wednesday, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

Speaking to reporters outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, PTI Senator Ali Zafar said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will announce its Toshakhana reserved verdict soon as the poll schedule has been announced. Notably, elections in Pakistan are due to take place on February 8 next year.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former Pakistan PM Imran Khan for five years from holding any public office after the Toshakhana case verdict on August 8 after he was guilty of "corrupt practises under Section 167 of the Elections Act, 2017," according to Geo News report.

He further said, "We want to inform you that Imran Khan will contest elections from at least three constituencies and we hope that the IHC will announce its judgement soon in the Toshakhana case, as the election schedule has been issued."

Ali Zafar said the IHC will announce its verdict on PTI's plea that requested for suspension of former Pakistan PM's conviction in the Toshakhana case. He urged PTI workers to submit their nomination papers for the upcoming elections and added that the party will prioritise the jailed members for tickets to contest the elections.

The PTI senator said, "Those [workers] who rendered sacrifices for the party, facing cases and braving difficulties will be allotted [party] tickets 100 per cent," Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Imran will contest elections from the Lahore, Islamabad and Mianwali constituencies. He even opposed the top lawyers' bodies' demand seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja.

Gohar Ali Khan said PTI will not make any such demand. He further said Imran Khan will make a final decision about ticket allocation. He alleged that hurdles were being created for PTI candidates to contest the polls, Geo News reported.

He said, "The nomination papers were snatched from Shah Mahmood Qureshi's secretary in Adiala jail," adding that stopping their candidates from contesting elections could disturb the law and order situation. Khan called upon the election commission and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to ensure free and fair polls in Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Imran Khan challenged his indictment in the cypher case and the entire proceedings by the special court, established under the Official Secrets Act, Geo News reported. He requested the court to declare the December 12 order of the special court null and void.

In his fresh petition, Khan said: "The learned trial court, while deciding the matter discussed in the petition, did not look into the true perspective of the facts and law which makes the impugned order and proceedings since 23/11/23 illegitimate/not-maintainable in the eye of law and liable to be set aside for the proper dispensation of justice."

On December 12, the special court indicted Imran Khan, who was removed from power via a no-confidence vote last year in the diplomatic cable case. Terming his trial "illegal and unlawful", Khan requested the high court to discharge him from the case.