Gilani, son say not ECP’s domain to hear plea

PPP Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani and his son Ali Haider Gilani on Friday challenged the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hear the petition filed for their disqualification over a video scandal that surfaced in March this year.

The father and son have sought dismissal of the case.

ECP Sindh Member Nisar Durrani remarked that the case would never end if various petitions kept coming up.

ECP Balochistan Member Shah Mohammad noted that the parties should submit their replies and the final arguments would be heard at the next hearing.

Earlier, Ali Haider’s lawyer took the position that first a decision had to be made on the jurisdiction and then action could be taken on the central case.

Petitioner Alia Hamza's lawyer said that no reply had been submitted to their pleas so far.

The ECP Sindh member noted that the petitioner themself was not pushing the case and then blamed the commission for not deciding the matter.

The commission adjourned the hearing till January 24.

In the video, Ali Haider can be seen was explaining to lawmakers how to make their votes in the Senate election invalid by over-writing and ticking in front of the names of all candidates on the ballot paper and allegedly offered money and development funds.

Read PDM's Yousaf Raza Gilani defeats PTI's Hafeez Shaikh in major upset in Senate elections

In a news conference later, Ali Haider admitted that the video was true, and said that the MNA in the video belonged to the PTI. The government immediately cried foul, demanding that the ECP should declare Gilani as ineligible.

In July this year, the ECP bench had sought more evidence in the petition against Gilani and his won.

Heading the bench, ECP Punjab member Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi had observed that it was the last hearing conducted by the current bench before his retirement. He had stressed that the bench could take forward the petitions towards a decision.

Two members of the PTI, Captain (retd) Jameel and Faheem Khan, appeared before the bench. Gilani’s lawyer argued that the affidavit had to be signed by both of them. Jameel told the bench that they are ready to sign now.

The ECP Punjab member Qureshi said why prolong the matter any further when the PTI members were admitting to their signatures. He observed that it was now up to the commission to provide any additional documents or evidence.

However, Gilani’s lawyer objected to the offer of additional evidence. He said that the matter could not be exceeded beyond the points raised in the petition.