ISLAMABAD – A Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate challenged on Fridaythe senate membership of Former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar by filing apetition in Supreme Court.
According to local media reports, PPP candidate Nawaz Pirzada filed thepetition, challenging Dar’s Senate membership. In his petition, Pirzadarequested the court to suspend Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order that allowedDar to contest for the Senate election.
The PPP candidate stated in his petition that Dar had been declared as aproclaimed offender by an accountability court and therefore, he could notbe elected as a Senate member.
Senate elections were held on March 3, in which Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) leader Dar had won a technocrat seat. In total the PML-N haswon 15 seats.
Before the elections, Dar’s nomination papers were rejected by ElectionCommission of Pakistan, after a petition was filed against him. However,the LHC later on allowed Dar to contest the Senate elections.
Dar has been absconding his corruption hearing since last year and iscurrently in London for his treatment. The National Accountability Bureauhas filed corruption reference against Dar for owing assets beyond hisknown source of income, after the Panama Papers revelation.