ECP disqualifies Imran Khan for five years in Toshakhana case

News Desk

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in a consensus verdict in Toshakana reference, disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan for five years and ruled that the PTI chairman is no more a member of the National Assembly.

Criminal proceedings will be initiated against the PTI chairman for misdeclaration, the verdict said.

The ECP stated that Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday announced that it will conduct local government elections in Islamabad, directing its office to begin preparations for the election schedule and related arrangements.

In a reserved verdict on the long-pending issue, the Commission ruled that the amendment made to Section 15 of the ICT Local Government Act, 2015—through the ICT Amendment Act, 2024—was not in line with the Constitution, the Elections Act, 2017, or Section 20 of the original ICT Local Government Act.

The ECP reaffirmed that, under the Elections Act, it has full authority to appoint its own officers to conduct elections.

It further clarified that district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs), and assistant returning officers (AROs) may be appointed from government departments, the judiciary, or other public bodies.

The Commission determined that union council secretaries were not eligible to conduct local government elections and that polls on reserved seats must be overseen by officials nominated directly by the ECP.