SHC seeks ECP's response by July 25

Nasir Shah informs court he surrendered his iqama in 2012

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought a detailed reply from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by July 25 on petitions seeking disqualification of Faryal Talpur and other Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders over non-disclosure of their iqamas and other objections against them.

The SHC has been hearing disqualification petitions against Talpur, former MPA Nawab Ghaibi Sardar Khan Chandio and former provincial ministers, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Manzoor Wassan and Sohail Anwar Siyal.

During Tuesday's proceedings, Chandio and Shah submitted their replies on the earlier notice issued by the SHC. In his reply, Shah, who served as the Sindh information and transport minister in the last elected government, informed the SHC that he had surrendered his iqama in 2012.

Shah's lawyer requested the SHC to expedite the hearing as his client was contesting the upcoming elections, to which the court replied that it was waiting for the replies of other PPP leaders.



In the plea against Talpur, the petitioner maintained that she had set up a company in Dubai in 2002 in her daughter Ayesha's name. It was claimed in the petition that Talpur did not disclose the details of money she transferred to Dubai to the ECP. The petitioner requested the SHC to disqualify her as she could no longer be considered sadiq and ameen.

Farooq H Naik, counsel for Talpur, requested the SHC to grant more time to submit the response as he had yet not received the court notice. The federal and provincial governments and ECP also sought more time from the court to submit their replies on five petitions.

Directing the ECP to submit response by July 25, the SHC adjourned the hearing.