Pakistan: Mixed reactions to Imran Khan's disqualification by poll panel

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 22 : The reactions to the Election Commission of Pakistan's decision to disqualify former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the 'Toshakhana' case were on expected lines with the ruling party lauding the verdict and the PTI slamming it.
While the ruling coalition hailed the decision, the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is still hopeful in the Islamabad High Court, reported Dawn on Saturday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while reacting to the incident said the ECP has done justice and urged the PTI leaders and workers not to take the law into their hands.
"The myth of Imran Khan's honesty and sagacity has been broken. The nation had borne witness to how the PM's office was misused for personal gain," he tweeted.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz also reacted to the incident in a tweet saying "Pakistan's first certified liar and the thief was disqualified with irrefutable evidence".
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, while speaking at an event in Karachi, called it just the beginning and went on to predict that more such decisions against Imran khan will be coming.
On the contrary, Imran Khan's party PTI called the decision beyond the jurisdiction of ECP, accusing the body of "lop-sidedness", reported Dawn.
PTI on Friday, also announced that it would be filing an appeal against the decision before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi called the ECP verdict of "no value"
"Imran Khan would continue to hold the party chairman's office since the commission had no jurisdiction to rule on such matters. We are going to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court," he said.
The party's Central Secretary General Asad Umar also reacted sharply to the decision, saying that the verdict would not even stand for a few hours.
"We expected this verdict. Our lawyers are prepared, the petition is ready and the decision will be challenged in the high court," he said.
Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry also reacted sharply to the verdict. While speaking to the media he said "This is a wrong decision, ECP cannot de-seat Imran Khan. The ECP did exactly what we expected of them."
"Today is the beginning of the revolution. No one can disqualify Imran Khan. Only the public can do that," he vowed.
Earlier on Saturday, PTI chairman Imran Khan moved the Islamabad High Court, challenging the order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that disqualified him in the Toshakhana case, Pakistan media reported.
According to Geo News, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman asked the IHC to declare, find and hold the ECP order against the settled principles of law in Article 63 of the Constitution.
Imran Khan also requested to suspend the operation of the order and restrain further proceedings till the final disposal of the petition.
On Friday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in its verdict in the Toshakhana case, disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ruled that he is no more a Member of the National Assembly.
In the Toshakhana case hearing, Imran Khan's counsel Ali Zafar admitted that his client had sold at least four presents he had received during 2018-19.
"The gifts were sold for Rs 58 million and their receipts were enclosed with the income tax returns filed by my client," the lawyer apprised the ECP.
Reportedly, gifts received by government officials are to be reported immediately, to enable their value to be assessed. Only after an assessment is conducted can the recipient take away the gift, if he wants to keep it, after depositing a specific amount.
These gifts either remain deposited in the Toshakhana or can be auctioned and the money acquired through it is to be deposited into the national treasury.
Imran Khan reportedly earned millions of rupees from these jewel-class watches gifted to him by foreign dignitaries, the News International newspaper reported.