LHC Disposes Of Plea For Removing Imran Khan As Party Chief

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of a petition seeking directions to remove Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan as party chief after declaring it as infructuous

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jan, 2023 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of a petition seeking directions to remove Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan as party chief after declaring it as infructuous.

The three-member bench headed by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti heard the petition filed by Advocate Muhammad Afaq.

During the proceedings, the petitioner-counsel argued that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified Imran Khan in Toshakhana case and he had no legal standing to continue as PTI chairman. He requested the court to issue directions for removing Imran Khan from the office of PTI chairman and order the party to appoint a new chairman.

However, the LHC chief justice observed that the petition had apparently become infructuous as the ECP had taken notice of the matter and initiated proceedings by issuing a notice to the PTI chairman.

The petitioner-counsel contended that his petition had not become infructuous yet and requested the bench to hear his arguments after taking up another connected petition filed by Muhammad Jabir Abbas Khan, a voter of NA-95 constituency, against the disqualification of Imran Khan, challenging the legitimacy of Section 137(4) of the Elections Act 2017 invoked by the ECP to de-seat the former premier.

At this, the chief justice addressed the Jabir Abbas's counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique and remarked that the petition had also become infructuous as Imran Khan had himself approached the court in the matter.

To which, the petitioner's counsel admitted that Imran Khan had also challenged his disqualification and it was pending before a single bench.

He sought court's permission to withdraw the petition, which was duly granted.

Subsequently, the court dismissed as withdrawn the petition filed by Jabir Abbas and disposed of the petition for removing Imran Khan as party head after declaring the same as infructuous.