Pakistan's PTI considers appointing Imran Khan as patron-in-chief

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 21 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) top leadership has reviewed the legal challenges regarding Imran Khan's position as the party chief and has considered appointing him as the party's "patron-in-chief" to avoid the danger of him being removed as the party's chairman, Pakistan-based TV Network Geo News reported citing The News.
Khan is currently facing criminal charges in the Toshakana case after Pakistan's Election Commission disqualified him from the NA-95 (Mianwali-1) constituency for allegedly filing incorrect statements of assets.
The electoral body initiated proceedings against Khan last month after he was found guilty in the Toshakana scam. However, the PTI chairman approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the ECP's move to debar him from heading his party and secured a stay order in his favour, Geo News reported.
LHC Justice Jawad Hassan, who was hearing the case, restrained the ECP from any adverse action against Khan and proposed that a larger bench should decide the case.
PTI leaders on Friday discussed the case's legal aspects and considered appointing Khan as PTI's patron-in-chief. According to party insiders, the PTI has a backup strategy to fight the legal potential of Khan's removal from the PTI chairmanship.
They said that even with the new appointment, Khan will have complete authority to oversee party affairs. They said there would be no need to amend the party constitution for the new position.
The election commission will take up the case on January 25 after it was informed that the LHC had barred the commission from stripping Khan of his party's chairmanship, Geo News reported.
Imran Khan, recently, alleged that the federal government is determined to drive him out of politics, reported The News International.
He said they are trying their best to disqualify him ahead of the general elections.
Referring to cases registered against him across the country, Khan said on Thursday that fervent "efforts are being made to disqualify me from politics," in an interview with a UK-based broadcaster.
Khan said, "they are trying their best" to disqualify him ahead of the general elections in the country, adding that "new cases are being registered" against him every other day.
However, he claimed, "There is absolutely no case that can disqualify me."
In August 2022, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP under Articles 62A, 63A, and 223, seeking the PTI chief's disqualification in light of the Toshakhana scam, reported The News International.
The 28-page reference identified 52 gift items of Toshakhana received by Khan, violating the law and rules, taken away at nominal prices and most of the gifts were sold in the market, including some precious watches.
The assessed value of the gifts has been put at more than Rs 140 million. The gifts were received between August 2018 and December 2021. (ANI)