Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan, who is currently in jail, has suffered a major setback as he cannot participate in the general elections scheduled for February 8 in Pakistan.
Despite filing nominations for two constituencies while in jail, the election authorities have rejected both of his candidacies. This development intensifies the challenges for Imran Khan, casting doubts on his aspirations of returning as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In response to the election officer's decision, Imran Khan has opted to challenge the ruling in the Lahore High Court.
Imran Khan, ahead of the elections scheduled for February 8, has contested the rejection of his nomination papers for two National Assembly seats in Punjab.
On Wednesday i.e. January 04, he challenged the decision of the election officer in the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court.
The Election Officer in Lahore had disqualified Imran Khan's nominations for National Assembly seats in Lahore and Mianwali districts on Saturday i.e. December 30, 2023, citing ethical grounds and his involvement in the corruption case related to the Toshakhana.
On Wednesday, Imran Khan, through his legal representation, contested the decision of the Returning Officer (RO) to disqualify his nomination papers for NA-122 Lahore and NA-89 Mianwali, citing Section 62(1)(f) ineligibility.
He argued that the clause related to being declared guilty in the Toshakhana case does not make him ineligible under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.
Consequently, he asserted that, as per the Constitution, his nomination papers cannot be rejected. Khan mentioned that the RO raised objections on matters unrelated to the constituencies he is contesting.
Khan sought the court's intervention to quash the RO's decision and allow him to contest the upcoming elections on February 8 from these two constituencies.
Imran Khan, 71, has been in Adiala Jail on various charges since August 2023. Wednesday was the deadline to challenge the RO's decisions in court.