ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, former chief justice Justice (retd) Saqib Nisar, and PTI senior leader Asad Umar have all been named in a reference filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in relation to leaked recordings discussing the alleged sale of party tickets for the Punjab elections.
Malik Ahmad Khan and Ataullah Tarar, two leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), filed the reference in ECP accordance with the Election Act of 2017 and Article 218(3) of the constitution.
Imran Khan, Saqib Nisar, and Asad Umar have been named respondents in the reference, along with the list of PTI ticket holders and other supporting documentation.
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The recommendation requested legal action in response to charges of corruption, corrupt behaviour, and bribery in exchange for tickets, noting that party seats for the Punjab Assembly election are currently being bought and sold.
A party has been accused of tainting politics by buying tickets, and the ECP should take action against the PTI for breaking the law, the Election Act, and the constitution, according to the reference. It went on to say that the audio recordings showed that the mentioned people had a direct hand in the crime.
The content of the reference further claims that Imran Khan personally distributed party tickets last week. It has also been acknowledged in audio leaks that Saqib Nisar is involved in the transaction, which was made possible by the former CJP, PTI leaders Ejaz Chaudhary and Asad Umar. The ECP ought to look into the situation and punish the offenders.
The commission was also urged to launch an inquiry into this situation and remove Imran Khan from his position as PTI chairman of Pakistan.
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In a major development on Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf constituted a ten-member special committee to investigate the audio leak of Najam Saqib, the son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar.
The NA speaker formed the committee and issued the formal notification.
The committee, under the notification, would be able to seek assistance of any investigating agency in the course of its inquiry. After investigation, the committee would submit a comprehensive report to the National Assembly.
Muhammad Aslam Bhootani would lead the committee comprising Shahida Akhtar Ali, Muhammad Abu Bakar, Brig. Tahir, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Syed Hussain Tariq, Naz Baloch, Khalid Magsi, Wajeeha Kamar, and Afzal Dhandla.