In a huge sigh of relief for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Islamabad High Court chief justice Athar Minallah said that the former prime minister Imran Khan was not stopped from contesting in the elections. A by-election is scheduled to be held in NA-45 (Kurram-I) later this month on October 30.
Justice Minallah was hearing an appeal petition filed by Khan following the ECP’s verdict on the Toushakhana reference filed against him. Imran’s counsel, Barrister Ali Zafar, had urged the court to take up the matter on an urgent basis at which Justice Minallah is said to have uttered, “What’s the rush?”.
At which point, Zafar pointed out that Khan was contesting a by-election in Kurram-I and a stay order was needed against the ECP decision. Justice Minallah reportedly said that Khan would have no problem in contesting the by-election.