Pakistan: Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan banned from election for 5 years

Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan has been banned from running for any election for five years by the Electoral Commission, in Islamabad, October 21, 2022. REUTERS - STRINGER

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1 min

The Pakistani electoral commission on Friday October 21 banned former Prime Minister Imran Khan from political life, prohibiting him from running for any election for five years.

The former head of government is accused of not having declared all the diplomatic gifts received when he was in power.

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It is a new illustration of the standoff between the current government and the former Prime Minister

by a motion of censure voted last April by the Assembly.

After a series of legal proceedings, from which Imran Khan escaped without too much damage, the electoral commission now accuses him of corruption.

The former cricket champion would have omitted during the exercise of his mandate to declare all the gifts received during his travels abroad and to have earned money by reselling some.

The popular press had criticized the former prime minister in recent months for having received the equivalent of several hundred thousand dollars in gifts in the form of watches, jewelry, handbags and other luxury goods.

The ban on standing for election for 5 years must be confirmed by the courts.

In the meantime, Imran Khan won six of the eight by-elections in which he personally ran this weekend and continues to enjoy strong popularity.

Demonstrations of support broke out across the country.

His supporters denounce a "shameful" attempt to prevent Khan from standing for the next legislative elections, which should be held within a year.

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• Pakistan

• Imran Khan