After the electoral watchdog revealed its decision on the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference, conflict scenes were observed outside the ECP building as Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI and a former prime minister, was disqualified.
Workers outside the ECP office screamed Imran Khan-supporting slogans as soon as the decision was made, while PTI supporters and party members started to protest against it.
According to reports, a policeman from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), who was later identified as PTI MNA Saleh’s guard, surrendered guns to the Islamabad police. A shot was fired while the weapon was being recovered. Later, MNA Saleh was also arrested by the police. There have also been reports of the police violently assaulting the PTI workers who were taken into custody.
According to police, the district administration has blocked three major roads going to Islamabad to prevent untoward incidents.
In the meanwhile, K-P Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra denounced the ECP verdict and declared that the party will challenge the decision in court.
Adding that “we will go to court against this verdict and the court will reinstate Imran Khan with the fullest dignity,” Jhagra stated that “the ECP has no power to disqualify Imran Khan.”
Workers were instructed to protest earlier today if Imran Khan was found guilty in the Toshakhana case.
Pervez Khattak, a senior party official in charge of the party’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa wing, sent an audio message with party members saying that “if the decision is against Imran Khan, then there would be a strong protest at the district level.”
Senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said during a press conference today that “a minus one formula will not be acceptable” while discussing the constitutional role of the ECP.
