ECP throws out PTI’s disqualification plea against Faryal Talpur

Commission says PTI MPAs failed to provide ‘concrete evidence'

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected a disqualification plea against PPP leader and former president Asif Ali Zaradi’s sister, Sindh MPA Faryal Talpur.

PTI lawmakers of the Sindh Assembly, Arsalan Taj and Rabia Azfar, had filed the disqualification appeal with the ECP against Talpur, accusing her of not declaring the details of her assets.

They had sought her disqualification under Article 62 of the Constitution.

However, the electoral watchdog dismissed the plea, declaring Talpur eligible to hold the office.

The ECP had reserved its judgment on October 27 after arguments were completed on the matter.

In its judgment, the commission stated that “concrete evidence” was required for the disqualification of assembly members.

However, the ECP noted that it was lacking in Talpur's case.

“The PTI failed to present concrete evidence against Faryal Talpur,” the judgment declared.

The petitioners had stated that Talpur owned properties in Larkana and Shahdadkot, adding that she had also been nominated in a corruption case pertaining to billions of rupees through fake bank accounts.

They pleaded that she should be disqualified as an MPA as she was no longer 'Sadiq and Ameen’ -- truthful and trustworthy.

However, during the proceedings, the commission observed that Talpur had declared her assets and the petitioners had failed to present evidence against her.

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The detailed 15-page verdict read that the petitioners had contended that the Sindh Assembly speaker had failed to reach a decision on the disqualification reference within 30 days.

The petitioners referred to the speaker’s letter, in which he had told them the powers to disqualify a lawmaker rested with the ECP.

The petition was filed on June 22, 2019 based on Talpur’s returns of the fiscal year 2017.

The ECP verdict observed that Talpur had disclosed the properties mentioned in the plea in her returns on June 30, 2018 and 2019.

“There is no question of concealment of the alleged properties by Faryal Talpur,” the judgment read, adding there was not enough evidence against her on the basis of which she could be disqualified.

“The commission is satisfied that the petitioners could not make a case under Article 62 (1)(f) against Faryal Talpur,” the verdict stated.

“The disqualification reference against Faryal Talpur is dismissed,” it added.

The PPP politician had been indicted by an accountability court in Islamabad alongside Zardari and other accused in the mega-money laundering reference pertaining to the fake accounts case in 2020.

The former president, Talpur and several of their business associates were at the time being probed as part of a 2015 case regarding fake accounts and fictitious transactions -- which were initially found to have totalled Rs35 billion — conducted through 29 ‘benami’ accounts.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also issued arrest warrants for Zardari and his sister over suspicious transactions worth Rs8 billion in the fake accounts case.

Then NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had particularly faced staunch criticism for issuing arrest warrants for a female politician.