The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday heard a petition seeking disqualification of Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi, son of the slain chief of Sipah-e-Sahaba, from the provincial legislature.
Justice Atir Mahmood heard the petition seeking disqualification of Jhangvi, who was elected to the Punjab Assembly after winning the PP-78 Jhang by-election last year.
The petition filed by Muzaffar Abbas states Jhangvi has 17 cases registered against him.
Jhangvi’s name is also on the 4th Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, a list of people with suspected ties to militant groups, the petition states.
The court today sought a reply from the Election Commission of Pakistan over the matter.
Jhangvi's December election to the Punjab Assembly caused a stir in due to fears his political ascent would increase sectarian divides in Jhang, a dusty town with a history of violence between its resident Shia and Sunni communities.
Jhangvi's assassinated father, Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, was a fierce anti-Shia cleric who founded the now proscribed Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan. He was killed in 1990.
The banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has carried out some of the worst sectarian attacks in Pakistan's history, was named after his father.
The proscribed Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), strongly backed Jhangvi during the election but the bearded cleric denies being a member of the group.
In the Punjab Assembly, Jhangvi has joined the far right religious party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).