Top court rejects PTI plea to disqualify PM Nawaz over Panamagate

PTI chief seeks PM's disqualification and others, saying they concealed assets and set up offshore companies

ISLAMABAD: The top court turned down on Tuesday a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over Panama Papers leaks, saying the petitioner has not approached any other appropriate forum available.

In a constitutional petition filed by Naeem Bokhari on Monday, PTI chairman sought PM's disqualification, his son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from National Assembly seats.

According to Imran, the aforementioned persons had been involved in corruption and tax evasion by setting up offshore companies.

Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama last month showed several world leaders, including premier’s three children – sons, Hassan and Hussain, and his daughter, Maryam – owning at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.



However, according to the apex court's registrar, the plea prima facie appeared to be frivolous and the petitioner did not approach any high court for addressing any grievances in the matter.

“The petitioner has not approached any other appropriate forum available to him under the law for the same relief. He has also not provided the justification for not doing so,” it added.

The order stated that the petitioner directly invoked the extraordinary jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Article 184 (3) of Constitution, which is not permissible in view of the judgment.



Meanwhile, senior PTI leader Ishaq Khan Khakwani said the registrar had no authority to accept or reject the petition as it was the prerogative of the judges to make such a decision.

Khakwani added that the legal team will file appeal against the registrar’s order, and urged the chief justice to take notice of declaring the party's plea frivolous.

The petition had cited the court’s judgment in the case of former PM Yousuf Raza Gilani to question the incumbent premier's eligibility in accordance with the Article 62 of the Constitution.

Earlier on Saturday, the top court refused to entertain a constitutional petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq for investigating the Panama Papers, terming it inadmissible and frivolous.

Supreme Court's Tuesday order available with The Express Tribune