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ECP denotifies Imran Khan from six NA seats

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  • Poll authority allows Khan to keep NA-45 constituency.
  • Denotification of 32 PTI MNAs from Punjab suspended.
  • PTI chief won seven seats in October by-polls last year.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Friday denotified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from six National Assembly seats — on which he emerged victorious last year.

The electoral authority, in a notification, stated that the former prime minister — who was ousted from power last year — had been de-notified from his seats in NA 22 Mardan, NA 24 Charsadda, NA 31 Peshawar, NA 108, NA 118 Nankana and NA 239 Karachi.

Earlier, on January 19, a three-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, announced its verdict to notify the PTI chief of his victory on seven seats in the by-elections held in October last year.

The notification had previously been withheld due to his alleged failure to submit the party’s funding details to the electoral body. However, the January 19 verdict stated that Khan had submitted the required details to the electoral body after which it decided to notify him as the winning candidate on all the seven NA seats.

After his de-notification from the six earlier seats, Khan now holds the Kurram seat, for which he may take oath and join the NA.

Denotification of 32 PTI MNAs from Punjab suspended

In a separate notification, the election commission also suspended its denotification announcement of 32 PTI MNAs. Following the ouster of Khan from the government, PTI lawmakers resigned en masse from the NA.

At first, the resignations of only 11 MNAs were accepted by NA speaker Raja Parvez Ashraf. However, on January 17 and January 20, the resignations of 34 and 35 more PTI MNAs were accepted respectively.

Several MNAs then withdrew their resignations and requested the speaker not to accept them. However, on January 25, the NA speaker accepted the last batch of resignations.

Subsequently, the 43 MNAs took their grievance to the Lahore High Court (LHC), which on February 8 suspended the ECP’s orders.

Later, several other PTI MNAs approached the LHC for similar relief. The court, however, only instructed the ECP to suspend the denotification of PTI MNAs from Punjab.

The ECP statement issued today said that the electoral body was suspending its notifications from January 17, 20, 27, and February 3 to “the extent of the following constituencies/reserved seats falling in the province of Punjab”.

The statement said that the notification of denotification of 27 members on general seats from Punjab had been suspended, along with the notification to denotify five women members from Punjab.

The commission would also delay holding elections for these seats until further guidance from the LHC, the statement mentioned.

The women MNAs whose denotification notice has been suspended include Aliya Hamza Malik, Kanwal Shauzab, Andleeb Abbas, Asma Hadeed and Maleeka Ali Bukhari.

Moreover, the denotification notices of Sadaqat Ali Khan, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Fawad Chaudhry, and Syed Faiz Ul Hassan have also been suspended.

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Reaction to the PTI protest call by Fazlur Rehman

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Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.

He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.

He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”

The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.

According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.

Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.

As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.

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PTI representatives conjecture in the media over Imran’s approval of bail: FIA investigator

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The hearing on the PTI founder’s bail application in the Toshakhana-2 case has resumed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb serving as the presider.

The hearing was attended by the defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, and FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi.

Judge Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb told the FIA prosecutor to “leave the media alone and exempt yourself from them” in order to avoid commenting on the media. The statement followed the prosecutor’s assertion that the bail would be granted, which had previously been reported by media sources.

In addition, the court questioned whether the receipts in question were issued in the name of Bushra Bibi or the PTI founder itself. Bushra Bibi’s name was on the receipts listed in the challan, according to Barrister Salman Safdar.

Defense arguments
The defense expressed displeasure about the case’s 3.5-year registration wait. The prosecution has swore in Sohaib Abbasi and made Inamullah Shah a crucial witness without requiring them to take an oath.

Barrister Salman Safdar highlighted that multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, Police, and the Election Commission, have initiated actions related to the Toshakhana case, suggesting procedural redundancy.

Regarding a phony Toshakhana receipt, he contended, the Kohsar Police Station has also filed a case.

Position of the prosecution
The FIA prosecutor, Umair Majeed Malik, maintained that the valuation of the jewelry set mentioned in the case would be explained in the prosecution’s evidence.Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked, “If the media does not spread sensationalism, how will they conduct their business?” He dismissed rumors about his health, stating that he was present and hearing the case despite such reports.

Status of Co-Accused
The court was informed that Bushra Bibi, a co-accused in the case, is currently on interim bail and awaiting a decision by Judge Afzal Majuka. Barrister Salman Safdar expressed hope that Judge Majuka would soon announce his verdict.

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Naqvi visits Fazl to express gratitude for contributions to the 26th amendment.

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Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi convened with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to deliberate on issues of shared concern and the current political landscape in the nation.

In today’s meeting in Islamabad, Mr. Naqvi asked about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s health and sent his best wishes for the JUI chief’s well-being and future pursuits.

Naqvi extended his appreciation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his crucial contribution to the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he characterised as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s legislative history.

Following the meeting, Naqvi commended Mr. Fazlur Rehman’s commitment to the nation, asserting, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently prioritised Pakistan’s interests, and his contributions to the country are indispensable.”

The experienced politician reaffirmed his dedication to Pakistan and its populace, stating, “Our priority has consistently been Pakistan and the well-being of its citizens.”

Senator Kamran Murtaza attended the meeting.

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