Babar Awan’s disqualification: Lahore High Court wants ‘appropriate’ arguments on May 11

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Friday told counsel for both parties in a petition seeking disqualification of Babar Awan as a senator to come up with appropriate arguments to assail qualification of a candidate at the time of filing of nomination papers.

The court is hearing a petition challenging the acceptance of Awan’s nomination papers for Senate elections.

Barrister Ali Zafar, counsel for Awan, argued that the election tribunal had the jurisdiction to decide objections raised against a candidate’s qualification, if returning officer did not entertain their objections.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked Barrister Zafar to elaborate his arguments in detail on the next hearing. The judge also asked the petitioner’s counsel to argue arguments on the same point and adjourned the hearing till May 11.

Advocate Shahid Jami has filed the petition alleging that Awan had accumulated assets that did not match the amount of income tax he had paid.

He also alleged that the respondent was not paying agricultural tax despite holding agricultural land. The petitioner said that the respondent had also ridiculed the courts for which Supreme Court had already suspended his practicing licence.

The petitioner requested the court to set aside acceptance of Awan’s nomination.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2012.