The Judicial Committee of Pakistan's General Elections Commission (PEC) on Friday announced that the dismissed Prime Minister Imran Khan is not eligible to participate in any upcoming elections or hold any political office.
The committee accuses Khan of concealing gifts presented to him from leaders of countries while in office.
According to the committee, he hid his possession of these gifts, then returned and bought them from the state treasury at low prices, and later included them in the list of his properties with the Elections Committee.
In turn, an assistant to the former prime minister announced that he would go to the Supreme Court to challenge the electoral commission's decision to exclude the leader of the "Insaf" movement from assuming any position.
Demonstrations condemning
Director of Al Jazeera's office, Abdul Rahman Matar, said that the leaders of the Insaf movement were quick to reject the committee's decision, pointing out that demonstrations took place in Lahore in Punjab province (eastern Pakistan) denouncing the decision.
Matar added that the decision would increase the simmering political tension in Pakistan since last April, when confidence in the government of Imran Khan was withheld.
Earlier this month, a Pakistani court accepted the apology of the dismissed Prime Minister Imran Khan in a "contempt of court" lawsuit, and decided to drop the case against him, in a move that would limit threats to disqualify him from political action.
The former prime minister faced the threat of arrest due to his criticism of police and judicial officials after refusing to release on bail one of his close aides in a case of incitement.