ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Monday, asked the counsel of Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan to submit reply within seven days in Toshakhana case. The case was adjourned till August 29.

A five-member ECP bench comprising of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Babar Bharwana, Ikramullah Khan, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and Nisar Ahmed Durrani heard the case. Mohsin Shah Nawaz Ranjha, the petitioner, who is also the Member National Assembly (MNA) from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), appeared before the bench along with his counsel, Khalid Ishaq.

Barrister Gohar Khan represented Imran Khan. During the proceedings, the defence lawyer sought three weeks time to submit reply in the case. The CEC inquired from the defence counsel that why three weeks were needed to file the reply.

He responded that the defence side needed time to get the relevant information and data. The counsel further said that the ECP, under relevant provisions of the Elections Act 2017, was mandated to decide a case within 90 days and that it was well within the ECP’s mandate to grant three-week time to the defence.

However, the bench gave the defence side one week to file reply before the case was adjourned. Meanwhile, the ECP asked the political parties to submit their statements of accounts of the previous financial year 2021-22 not later than the 29th of this month. This, the electoral body said, is a mandatory requirement under relevant electoral laws.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022