In yet another moment of political upheaval this year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday disqualified PTI chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”. Protests broke out in various cities across the country as soon as the news was announced and it appears that Islamabad will once again be at the centre of political chaos and tension as the winter season commences.
This verdict against the PTI chief comes as a serious blow to the party which a few days ago recorded comprehensive wins in the by-polls across the country, following up on its resounding victory in the July by-elections in Punjab. As per the ruling given by the ECP, the respondent has “intentionally and deliberately” violated the provisions contained in sections 137, 167 and 173 of the Elections Act, 2017, as he made false statements and incorrect declarations before the Commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed for the year 2020-21.
Various reactions have been pouring out to this decision and it is expected that the PTI will challenge this in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Some experts are of the opinion that this decision won’t hold and that the ECP is not a court of law, and does not possess the power to disqualify a lawmaker from office. However, it remains to be seen how the IHC proceeds with this challenge considering its recent dismissal of Faisal Vawda’s appeal against his disqualification.
Regardless of how this plays out, the narrative machine is already in full swing and the PDM will be looking to use this opportunity to give the PTI a taste of its own medicine. Whether the decision is proportionate or not, a corrupt practice did take place and it will be hard for the PTI to justify this—though the mental gymnastics are already on display—considering how its politics has been centred around “accountability”.
Another thing that will be interesting to see is if this decision dents the popularity of the PTI. Based on past trends and the immediate reaction that has come out, it seems unlikely that anything can make them see Mr Khan as fallible. The political arena will only become more tense going forward and it will certainly have an impact on internal stability and the already struggling economy of the country.