ECP requests SBP for details of Imran Khan’s accounts in Toshakhana reference

ISLAMABAD, Oct 05 (SABAH): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday sought details of bank accounts of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in the Toshakhana reference.

According to media reports, the ECP has written a letter to the State Bank to provide details of the former premier’s bank accounts.

The electoral watchdog, based on the details provided, is expected to announce a judgment on the reference.

The request by the electoral watchdog pertains to not disclosing gifts taken from Toshakhana in the financial statements.

The case was brought before the electoral watchdog last year after the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) had accepted an application on the matter and had directed the Cabinet Division to provide information about the gifts received by then-prime minister Imran Khan from foreign dignitaries.

The former premier in his reply to the ECP claimed that the case was ‘misleading, baseless and false’.

His statement maintained that he had not hidden any assets and urged the ECP to drop the reference. He had also stated that Article 62(f) of the Constitution – which states that a member of parliament must be “sadiq and ameen” (honest and righteous) – was not applicable for the case against him.

Earlier, the ECP reserved its decision regarding the former premier’s disqualification.

In a hearing, the PTI chairman’s counsel Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar admitted to Imran Khan selling at least four presents he had received in 2018-19 from foreign dignitaries.

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) lawyer Khalid Ishaq had said that Imran Khan had admitted to receiving gifts in his response to the ECP and had also confessed that the gifts were not disclosed in the statements but claimed that items of daily use “were not disclosed by anyone. The reference was forwarded to the Election Commission of Pakistan by Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The reference has been firmed for the disqualification of Imran Khan by PML-N MNA Ali Gohar Khan Baloch and five other MNAs.