Imran Khan disqualified from holding office for five years, Pakistan's election commission rules - CNN

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN  — 

Pakistan’s erstwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan volition beryllium disqualified from holding governmental bureau for 5 years, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled connected Friday, a determination apt to further inflame governmental tensions successful the country.

While speechmaking retired the recommendation, ECP main Sikandar Sultan Raja stated that Khan was disqualified for being progressive successful “corrupt practices.”

The committee said its determination was based connected the grounds that Khan had “made mendacious statements” regarding the declaration of the merchantability of gifts sent to him by the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Dubai portion successful bureau – an discourtesy that is amerciable nether the country’s constitution.

There had been a dense constabulary beingness extracurricular the predetermination commission’s bureau successful the superior Islamabad connected Friday, successful anticipation of protests by Khan’s supporters. Paramilitary troops person been deployed crossed the metropolis and the Red Zone, which encases large authorities buildings, including the predetermination commission, has been mostly sealed disconnected to traffic.

At a property league close aft the announcement by the ECP, leaders from Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI), person said that they volition instrumentality the substance to the Islamabad High Court, claiming that the ECP’s determination was “biased.”

PTI person Fawad Chaudhry said Friday this was the “beginning of a revolution” and called for supporters to “come retired of their homes and instrumentality to the streets to uphold the constitution.”

The announcement raises the imaginable of Khan being incapable to basal successful the adjacent wide election, expected successful 2023. CNN has reached retired to Khan’s lawyer for comment.

The commission’s ruling is the latest successful a bid of setbacks for Khan, who was dramatically removed from bureau successful a ballot of nary assurance successful April.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement governmental party, which is portion of the country’s ruling conjugation that ousted Khan from power, had pushed for the commission’s investigation.

However, the cricketer-turned-populist person maintains wide popularity.

He has repeatedly claimed that his removal from bureau was the effect of a US-led conspiracy against him. He has besides alleged the existent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani subject were down his ousting.

His claims person struck a chord with a young colonisation successful a state wherever choler and disillusionment with the governmental and subject constitution is being fueled by a rising cost-of-living situation and anti-American sentiment is common.

The US, the ruling conjugation and the Pakistani subject person each denied Khan’s allegations.

His enduring popularity has translated to caller provincial predetermination victories for his enactment and helium has repeatedly called for a caller parliamentary ballot astatine wide rallies held since his ouster.

Khan has repeatedly called for aboriginal elections and has said helium volition pb his supporters successful a agelong march to Islamabad.