Bilawal's dual party roles challenged in LHC

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday directed its Registrar's Office to reconsider a petition challenging Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's eligibility as a Member of the National Assembly, after objections to the filing are addressed.

Justice Khalid Ishaq issued the directive during the preliminary hearing of a constitutional petition filed by Ashba Kamran.

The petitioner contended that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's simultaneous association with two distinct political entities — PPP and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) — constitutes a violation of Section 203(3) of the Elections Act, 2017.

According to the petition, Bilawal serves as chairman of the PPP, which uses the electoral symbol "sword," while he was elected MNA in the 2018 and 2024 general elections from PPPP, which uses the symbol "arrow."

Kamran argued that both entities are separately registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and that dual membership in both contravenes election laws and constitutional obligations.

"The ECP, despite being the constitutional guardian of the electoral process, failed to enforce Section 203(3) and its own pre-election guidelines issued to returning officers on June 13, 2024," the petitioner stated.

She maintained that Bilawal's dual role leading one party while contesting elections under another violates not only the Elections Act but also Article 5 of the Constitution, which mandates loyalty to the state and adherence to the Constitution.

Furthermore, she claimed the practice deceived voters and violated Article 4, which ensures equal protection and fairness under the law.

Kamran further requested that the court summon the secretary generals and information secretaries of both PPP and PPP-P to produce documentation from the ECP specifically certificates under Section 209 that clarify Bilawal's official designation. She argued that Bilawal's continued leadership of PPP, despite being an elected representative under the PPPP banner, is misleading and legally untenable.

Highlighting that Bilawal was elected unopposed as PPP chairman in intra-party elections held in January 2021 and again in April 2025, Kamran alleged that such dual roles were not only illegal but compromised the credibility of the democratic process.