PML-N files reference against Imran, ex-CJP.

ISLAMABAD: The ruling party has filed a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against seven people including former premier Imran Khan and former chief justice (CJP) Saqib Nisar, requesting the polls supervisory authority to remove Imran as chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, a private TV channel reported. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Muhammad Ahmed Khan and Atta Tarrar Wednesday lodged the complaint under the Elections Act, 2017 read with Article 218(3), claiming that Imran and six other people engaged "in bribery, corrupt practices and selling of the tickets to candidates for election to the Punjab Assembly." The complainants referred to a couple of audio clips that emerged on social media on April 29.

The complaint said the audios revealed that the accused have been directly involved in bribery, corruption, and intimidation with regards to matters pertaining to the award of tickets to contest elections by the PTI. "The PTI's tickets have been awarded by the Chairman Imran Khan himself. Imran, in the last week, very actively and publicly took it upon himself to allot party tickets. Consequently, the audio leaks and corresponding awarding of the ticket to accused Abuzar Chaddhar, vide announcement by PTI on April 26, 2023, proves that the same was done by Mr. Imran Khan in an overtly corrupt and irregular manner.

"It is also admitted within these audios that the ex-CJP Saqib Nisar has also been involved in the underhanded dealings of the accused. In fact, it is suggested that the entire deal was facilitated and arranged by Mr Saqib Nisar and Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, Chairperson Reconciliation Committee for Central Punjab and...