Pakistan: Imran Khan may become PTI’s ‘patron-in-chief’

The PTI chief is facing criminal charges in the Toshakana case after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified him from the NA-95 (Mianwali-1) constituency for allegedly filing incorrect statements of assets.

The electoral body initiated proceedings against Khan last month after he was found guilty in the Toshakana scam, Geo news reports.

However, the PTI chairman approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the ECP’s move to debar him from heading his party and secured a stay order in his favour.

Justice Jawad Hassan of the LHC, who was hearing the case has restrained the ECP from any adverse action against Khan and proposed to the chief justice that a larger bench should decide the case.

In a meeting on Friday, the party bigwigs discussed the legal aspects of the case and considered appointing Khan as patron-in-chief.

Party insiders claim that the PTI has a backup strategy to fight the legal potential of Khan's removal from the PTI chairmanship.

“Even with the new appointment, he will still have complete authority to oversee party affairs,” the report stated.

They said there would be no need to amend the party constitution for the new position.

The election commission will take up the case on January 25 after it was informed that the LHC had barred the commission from stripping Khan of his party’s chairmanship.

(With UNI inputs)