Sources say Imran Khan was considered “patron-in-chief” by the top leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to avoid being removed as party chief due to legal challenges. He is currently facing criminal charges in the Toshakana case after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him from NA-95 (Mianwali-1).
The electoral body initiated proceedings against Khan last month after he was found guilty in the Toshakana scam. However, he challenged the ECP’s decision in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and received a stay order.
The LHC judge hearing Khan’s case restrained the ECP from taking any adverse action against him and recommended to the chief justice that a larger bench decide the case.
In a meeting on Friday, Khan’s top brass discussed the legal aspects of the case and whether he should be named patron-in-chief. Despite Khan’s removal from the PTI chairmanship, party insiders say the party has a backup plan.
On January 25, the election commission plans to hear Khan’s case after learning that the LHC had prohibited the removal of Khan as party chairman.
The PTI chief’s counsel informed the five-member ECP bench that it had yet to receive the previous hearing’s order.
