Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and a majority of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members have been disqualified as candidates for the upcoming February 8 election, according to party officials. Khan, who has been incarcerated since August, faces trial in several cases that he alleges are orchestrated to prevent his participation in the election. Despite Khan's conviction for graft earlier this year, his party submitted nomination papers for him, leading to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejecting his candidacy along with those of many PTI leaders.

PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan stated that "90 to 95 percent of our candidates' papers have been rejected" and suggested that the rejections are part of an "agenda" to exclude PTI from the electoral process. Hasan emphasized that PTI would not boycott the elections and would challenge the decisions through legal and constitutional means.

The move to disqualify candidates from a single party on such a scale is deemed "unprecedented" in Pakistan's history by political analyst Hasan Askari. He noted that state institutions appear determined to keep PTI out of the polls, and the chances of PTI receiving relief are slim.

The final list of contesting candidates is scheduled to be announced by the ECP on January 23. PTI has signaled its intent to appeal the rejections and remain active in the electoral process despite the setbacks.

Imran Khan, aged 71, was ousted in 2022 after a falling out with the country's powerful military leaders who had supported his rise to power in 2018. Since his removal, PTI has faced a crackdown, with several key figures either imprisoned or compelled to leave the party.