PDM government files reference against Imran Khan, Saqib Nisar

ISLAMABAD – The federal government on Wednesday filed a reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and former chief justice Saqib Nisar, marking a new development in the current political drama. 

The reference was made in accordance with both Article 218 of the Constitution and the Election Act of 2017. 

Imran Khan, Saqib Nisar, Najam Saqib, Abuzar Chaudhry, Mian Aziz, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Asad Umar were designated respondents in a lawsuit filed by Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Attaullah Tarar.

The list of PTI ticket holders and the transcript of the Najam Saqib audio leak were both linked with the reference. 

The complaint was made based on moral and financial corruption since tickets were being sold for the Punjab Assembly while one party disobeyed the constitution and the law, said the reference. 

The reference stated that action should be taken against them because the audio leak demonstrated that Saqib Nisar was part in the agreement to sell the PTI's tickets and that the individual involved in the leaked call (Abuzar) obtained the PTI's ticket.

Saqib Nisar, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Asad Umar allegedly served as mediators and pushed the ECP to take certain actions, including removing Imran Khan as the party's chairman.