LAHORE: Justice Abid Hussain Chattha of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday decided to hear two petitions seeking removal of former prime minister Imran Khan from the office of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman following his disqualification in Toshakhana reference.

The judge had reserved his verdict on whether the petitions should be referred to a larger bench or heard by the single bench.

Advocate Muhammad Afaq filed the petitions – one in person and the other on behalf of a citizen, Muhammad Junaid.

The lawyer requested Justice Chattah to not hear the petitions and refer the same to the chief justice for fixing the hearing before any other judge. The lawyer was of the view that the judge in the past had contested an election on the ticket of the PTI.

After hearing the arguments of the lawyer, the judge reserved the verdict, which he announced later and ordered the office to fix the petitions before his court on May 19.

The petitions mainly contend that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified the former prime minister and de-seated him from NA-95, Mianwali, on a corruption charge.

It said the office-bearers of a political party must meet the standards provided in articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution as per the provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1976 and the Political Parties Order, 2002.

The petitions argue that Khan is violating the laws by continuing to hold the chairman`s office of the PTI, which was registered with the ECP.

It also refers to the case wherein the Supreme Court restrained former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from heading the PML-N following his disqualification under articles 62 and 63.

The petitions ask the high court to order the ECP to remove Khan as PTI chairman and issue a direction for the nomination of a new party head.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2023