The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday began proceedings to remove Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as the party chief following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference. Initiating formal proceedings, the electoral watchdog sent a notice for the removal of Imran Khan as the chairman of PTI and summoned him on December 13. According to a private news channel, PTI confirmed receiving the notice sent by the electoral watchdog, while PTI leader Asad Umar has decided to write a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja seeking reason behind issuing the notice. Earlier in the day, the Lahore High Court (LHC) sought a response from PTI leader Asad Umar for his diatribe against the judiciary in his Nov 26 speech at his party’s Rawalpindi power show. Justice Jawad Hassan of the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench heard the petition filed by an additional registrar of the Rawalpindi registry against the former planning minister. The Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, the CPO and Asad Umar’s lawyer Advocate Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the court. During the hearing, Justice Hassan remarked that the PTI leader used contemptuous words against the courts. Saying no one could make any institution or personality controversial under the Constitution, the judge remarked that the court had the authority to punish such elements. The court summoned the PTI leader on the next hearing scheduled for Dec 7.
