‘Lying legislators’: Proceedings started to declare Amna Buttar proclaimed offender

Sheikh granted bail against Rs100,000, case against Rana Mehmood on Mar 19.

LAHORE:

A court on Tuesday initiated proceedings to declare former Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Amna Buttar a proclaimed offender.

District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmed Ganjana was hearing three petitions, filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan, against former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Amna Buttar, former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) MNA Begum Shahnaz Sheikh and former PML-Nawaz MPA Rana Asif Mehmood.

All three legislators have been disqualified by the Supreme Court for being dual nationals.

The judge will hear the case against Buttar on April 5. Buttar will be declared a proclaimed offender if she does not appear before the court at the next hearing. Buttar has not appeared before the court despite being sent several notices. The judge has also issued bailable and then non-bailable arrest warrants for her.

The court confirmed pre-arrest bail for Sheikh, against Rs100,000 bail bonds. The judge also dismissed an application filed by the former MNA for exemption from court appearance. The judge will hear arguments on her acquittal application on March 12.

The court will take up the case against Mehmood on March 19. Charges were framed against the former PML-N MPA at the last hearing.

The election commission says that the legislators lied while filing their nomination papers and were guilty of a ‘corrupt practice’ as defined in Sections 78 and 82 of the People’s Representative Act 1976 and several of Pakistan Penal Code sections.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2013.