Federal govt fails to submit reply in LHC

Ex-PM had challenged decision of appellate tribunal that disqualified him

LAHORE: A two member bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) adjourned proceedings by June 4 after the federal government failed to submit reply on a petition filed by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, challenging the decision of an appellate tribunal that disqualified him for lifetime.

Earlier, LHC allowed former PM for contesting upcoming general election from constituency NA-57 Murree after suspending the decision of an appellate tribunal, which disqualified him for life time.

The appellate tribunal at Rawalpindi seat of the High Court rejected Abbasi’s nomination papers and declared him guilty for concealing facts. The tribunal had declared that he was not honest and sagacious hence was not eligible to become member of parliament under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution.

Abbasi’s counsel Khwaja Tariq Rahim at that time had implored before the two-judge bench that the appellate tribunal had no jurisdiction to act as a constitutional court. He said that the impugned declaration which the tribunal had issued was beyond its jurisdiction.

Tariq contended that his client was not heard, which was a sheer violation of fundamental right. He further argued that the candidate/petitioner was bound to mention cost of his assets incurred upon its establishment, which he duly disclosed in the nomination papers.



The bench then suspending impugned decision of the appellate tribunal allowed Abbasi to contest the July 25 general election. It directed the counsel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to convey order of the court to the returning officer concerned for necessary action. It also directed the ECP to submit a reply.

Contempt of court

LHC Rawalpindi Bench on Tuesday referred three separate contempt of Court petitions against Abbasi and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesman Fawad Hassan Chaudhry to larger bench of the LHC Lahore.

Two more petitions were also filed each against PPP Cantt president Malik Zaheer Arshad and PTI leader Fawad Chaudary, as hearing started on the petition of a citizen named Riaz Anjum.

The LHC Judge Saddaqt Ali Khan while giving the remarks said that as the contempt of court was one of the crucial and sensitive issues, the court refers all three petitions to LHC larger bench for further hearing.

Earlier, Riaz Anjum has filed a petition against former PM on June 29, accusing him of committing contempt of court by using derogatory language on electronic media against an Appellate Election Tribunal (AET) of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench Judge Ibadur Rehman Lodhi.