PESHAWAR: Adopting a resolution against the disqualification of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan with a majority vote, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Saturday called the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case partial, unconstitutional and an ‘ambush on democracy’ in the country and urged the judiciary to strike it down.

Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan, who chaired the stormy proceedings of the house here, put the agenda aside and gave the floor to higher education minister Kamran Khan Bangash immediately after recitation from the Holy Quran to table the resolution.

The resolution carried the chair’s signature as well.

The opposition benches protested the deputy speaker’s conduct causing a commotion in the house.

Calls ECP decision ‘ambush on democracy’, urges courts to nullify it

The protesters surrounded his dais and shouted slogans.

The session was slated to be held on Monday but the ECP’s verdict against Mr Imran in the Toshakhana case prompted acting provincial Governor Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani to call it on Saturday.

The resolution tabled by the higher education minister read: “This house declares the ECP’s verdict partial, unlawful and unconstitutional through which a popular politician, who struggled against corruption throughout his life, has been disqualified. His disqualification in factitious cases is synonymous to the murder of justice.”

It also said that the provincial assembly not only rejected the ECP’s verdict in the Toshakhana case against Mr Imran but also considered it ambush on the democracy.

“The puppet [Election] Commission, which announced the verdict at the behest of the imported government, would not only prove to be a tiny obstacle in the path of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s struggle for real freedom in the country but would also make the country a laughing stock at the international level.

“The judiciary should take notice of this act of injustice and quickly nullify the verdict in order to end unrest and disappointment among the people,” it said.

The provincial assembly passed the resolution with a majority vote as the opposition shouted slogans.

The KP Assembly passed the second resolution against the ECP.

In August, the house had adopted a resolution with a majority vote in the wake of the prohibited funding case against the PTI, demanding resignation of the election commissioner and all ECP members.

After the passage of the resolution, the chair allowed minister Kamran Bangash to speak for the second time further irritating the opposition members.

The minister said that the entire nation had rejected the Election Commission’s verdict against Mr Imran and would be remembered a ‘black chapter’ in the country’s history.

In a reference to the ECP, he said that the ‘Kangaroo Commission’ was the B team of the Pakistan Democratic Movement ruling the centre.

“The nation observed Friday as the black day and did not accept the ‘technical knockout of Imran Khan’. The PTI is the most popular party of the country as it won 24 by-elections, including the recent ones, in the country,” he said.

The deputy speaker also gave the floor to ministers Ishtiaq Urmar, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Amjad Ali Khan.

A lack of quorum was pointed out when PTI lawmaker Sardar Khan was speaking on the resolution. The chair asked the assembly’s secretary to carry out a headcount, which revealed the presence of 30 members only.

The chair ordered the ringing of the bells for two minutes that was followed by another headcount, which showed only 11 members present in the assembly. He adjourned the session until Oct 31.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2022