SHC calls arguments on petition against Manzoor Wassan, Nasir Shah

Former provincial ministers have been accused of not disclosing their iqamas

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has called arguments on a petition pertaining to iqamas of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Manzoor Wassan who also served as provincial ministers in the last government whose term completed on Monday.

It was claimed in the petition that the PPP leaders did not disclose their iqamas while filing nomination papers for the elections, due to which they were no longer sadiq and ameen. The court was requested to order the PPP leaders to return their salaries which they received as MPAs and provincial ministers as they were not eligible to hold those offices.

The SHC directed on Tuesday counsels for the petitioner to produce documentary evidence before June 5. Justice Mazhar Ali remarked that the provincial assembly's tenure had expired and the court could not order the authorities to take back the salaries and benefits given to the lawmakers.

According to the SHC, the verdict issued by the Supreme Court regarding iqamas does not order the authorities to take back the salaries and benefits.



The petitioner informed the SHC that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also been disqualified by the Supreme Court, to which the bench responded that the top court had not ordered to take back the benefits and salaries received by Nawaz while he was in office. The iqamas of the MPAs have surfaced at a time when the assembly term has ended, the bench said.

The petitioner claimed that Wassan had not declared his iqama and 25% shares in a Dubai-based company in his nomination papers before contesting the 2013 general elections. It was argued that he did not meet the standards for sadiq and ameen laid down in the articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The petition also requested the court to bar Wassan from contesting the upcoming general elections. He was elected from PS-32.

Likewise, the petition also requested the court to disqualify Shah who served as the information and transport minister in the last provincial government. It was claimed that Shah also did not disclose his Dubai iqama. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also been nominated as a party in the petition.

Meanwhile, the SHC also heard a similar petition against PPP MPA Nawab Ghaibi Khan Chandio who was elected to the Sindh Assembly in 2013 general elections from PS-42 Kamber-Shahdadkot.



The petitioner, Mumtaz Ali Chandio, claimed that Nawab had an iqama of Dubai, which he did not disclose while filing nomination papers before the last elections. It was argued that the former MPA was no longer sadiq and ameen and he should be stopped from contesting the coming general elections. The petitioner also asked the SHC to order the former MPA to return all perks he received during the last five years as an MPA.

The SHC directed the ECP, Sindh Assembly secretary and other parties to submit their comments on the petition by June 5.