Imran Khan's Close Aide Disqualified By Pak Poll Body For 5 Years

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi was disqualified for five years by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday, as reported by ARY News.

The disqualification comes five days before the February 8 general elections, which the PTI is contesting despite a state crackdown and without its famous electoral symbol, the bat.

According to an official order of the ECP, the former foreign minister has been disqualified as a result of the Special Court judge's decision in the case of 'The State versus Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi' on January 30."

"Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been held guilty u/s 5(3)(a), 5(1)(c) punishable u/s 5(3)(b) of OSA, 5(1)(d) Punishable u/s 5(3)(b) of OSA and Section 9 of the OSA read with 34 PPC and has been held guilty in light of charge u/s 5(3)(a) of the OSA, 1923 read with section 34 PPC and convicted and sentenced u/s 5(3)(a) read with section 34 PPC and convicted and sentenced u/s 5(3)(a) read with section 34 PPC and punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term of 10 years, guilty in light of charge u/s 9 read with section 5(3)(a) of OSA, 1923 and is convicted and sentenced u/s 5(3)(a) of OSA, 1923 with rigorous imprisonment for a term of 10 years," ARY News reported while quoting the ECP order.

The order stated that Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Pakistan Constitution, as read with Section 232 of the Elections Act, 2017. As a result, the PTI vice chairman is barred from contesting the General Elections of 2024 and any later elections for a term of five years, as reported by ARY News.

On January 30, a special court constituted under the Official Secrets Act sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to ten years in prison in the cypher case.

The cypher issue involves a diplomatic document that Imran is accused of failing to return, according to the Federal Investigation Agency's charge sheet. The PTI said the paper included a threat from the United States to depose Imran as prime minister.

Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi have been on trial at Adiala Jail since last year for 'distorting' the facts of the diplomatic cypher case. Both PTI leaders were accused of conspiring to misuse the cypher's contents for illicit purposes."