NA-176: Supreme Court suspends PML-N MNA's disqualification notice

Mehmood Hanjra was disqaulified after his rival alleged he was not eligible under Articles 62 and 63

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended a notification which disqualified Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz MNA Sultan Mehmood Hanjra from his National Assembly membership, Express News reported. 

An election tribunal had disqualified Hanjra - winning candidate from NA-176 Muzaffargarh - after his rival alleged Hanjra was not an eligible candidate as envisaged by Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. The tribunal had declared the poll results for the constituency null and void and ordered reelection.

Today, the apex court suspended the order and called off re-polling in the constituency.

The contentious clauses, Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, state that an individual cannot be qualified to be the member of Parliament unless he is an honest and loyal citizen of Pakistan and is enrolled as a voter in any electoral roll. It further says that any member of Parliament can be disqualified if he ceases to be a citizen of Pakistan, or acquires the citizenship of a foreign state and has been convicted by a court.

Earlier on August 4, the election of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate, Ghulam Qadir Chandio, on the provincial assembly seat from its stronghold Nawabshah (PS-27) was declared void on the basis of his fake degree.