SC accepts plea seeking PM Nawaz’s disqualification

PML-Q chief also moved a petition seeking the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif under Article 62-F of the Constitution

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after setting aside objections raised earlier by the registrar office.

The petition – filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ishaq Khan Khakwani – will now be heard early next week.

Khakwani submitted the petition against PM Nawaz on September 2 through his counsel advocate Irfan Qadir, citing as reason his controversial statement made on the floor of the House regarding the role of army in the political crisis.

It pointed out that the prime minister had asked the army chief General Raheel Sharif to act as a ‘mediator’ between the government, PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, and serve as a ‘guarantor’ to any agreement between the parties concerned. Later he denied making any such request on the floor of the House.

On Friday, Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk heard the PTI leader’s appeal against the registrar office’s objections in his chamber. Advocate Qadir appeared before the chief justice and contended that the registrar has no power to decide as to whether the petition is maintainable or not.

“The question of maintainability is to be decided by the Supreme Court in terms of Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In the instant case, the institution officer has assumed upon himself the functions of the Supreme Court”, the PTI leader’s appeal says. After hearing the arguments, the CJ set aside the registrar office’s objection and fixed the case before the bench for preliminary hearing early next week.

PML-Q pitches in

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain also moved a petition in the apex court seeking the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif under Article 62-F of the Constitution.

The petition is moved through two counsels Irfan Qadir and Sardar Abul Razaq, listing Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, federation of Pakistan, Election Commission of Pakistan, defence secretary, PAT chief Tahirul Qadri and PTI chief Imran Khan as respondents.

The petition requested the court to disqualify the prime minister as he gave a ‘false statement’ in the National Assembly. The petitioner contended that Nawaz was also involved in matters related to the attack on the Supreme Court as well as going abroad for ten years after signing a pardon agreement with former president Pervez Musharraf. He has denied making such an agreement.

The PML-Q chief stated that Nawaz had himself demanded the resignation of former premier Yousuf Raza Gillai in the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2014.