Pakistan election: Imran Khan charged with contempt of electoral watchdog, says lawyer
Reuters, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) initiated contempt proceedings against Khan and other former leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The development came days after Khan's nomination for the February 8 general elections was rejected by the Pakistan's poll body.
The cricket-turned politician is currently in jail over several cases and has been embroiled in political and legal battles since he was ousted as prime minister in April 2022. He was jailed for three years in August for unlawfully selling state gifts while in office from 2018 to 2022.
Khan, who is widely seen as the country's most popular leader, denied all charges against him and said he is being by hounded by the powerful military, which wants to keep him out of the polls. The military denies this.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a high court in Pakistan restored the top election commission's order suspending the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's intra-party polls as void and revoking its iconic cricket bat electoral symbol, in a major blow to Imran Khan’s embattled party, news agency PTI reported. The verdict, reserved earlier in the day, was announced by Peshawar High Court judge Ejaz Khan on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s review petitions, the Dawn newspaper reported.
On Monday, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said that his party will participate in the general elections even without getting the cricket 'bat' as its electoral symbol. (With inputs from agencies)Milestone Alert!
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