ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) seeking disqualification of Yousaf Raza Gilani from the Senate seat over ‘corrupt practices’.

The ECP in its decision said no evidence of corrupt practices has been found against Yousaf Raza Gilani and he had no link with the case. The Election Commission, however, asked the District Election Commissioner Islamabad to start a criminal case under Sections 167 (corrupt practices) and 168 (bribery) of the Elections Act, 2017 against Gilani’s son Punjab Assembly lawmaker Ali Haider Gilani, as well as PTI MNAs Faheem Khan and Captain (r) Jamil Ahmed Khan.

The ECP, in its verdict, stated that it had been proved that Ali Haider Gilani, Faheem Khan and Jamil Ahmed Khan had indulged in corrupt practices. It added that the punishment under Sections 167 and 168 could be up to three years in jail or a fine of Rs100,000 or both.