LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has announced the verdict in thepetition filed against CM Shahbaz Sharif over his disqualification fromoffice.

LHC on Wednesday dismissed a constitutional petition seekingdisqualification of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif from his office.

A bench of the LHC had earlier reserved the verdict on maintainability ofthe petition after hearing arguments of the petitioner.

During the hearing, the bench asked the litigant to explain under what lawit could send the chief executive of Punjab province packing.

The petitioner said Shahbaz, besides the chief minister, held the post ofthe Punjab Mass Transit Authority chairman. Under the law and the country’sConstitution, a public office holder couldn’t hold two posts at the sametime, he argued.

He pleaded with the court to disqualify the chief minister under Article 63of the Constitution.

On Monday, Shahbaz Sharif appeared before the National AccountabilityBureau (NAB) in connection with an inquiry into alleged irregularities inthe Ashiana Housing Scheme.

A combined investigation team (CIT) of the bureau questioned him for overone-and-half-an hour for allegedly misusing his authority to award thecontract of Ashiana Housing Scheme project to a company but the successfulbidder.

He has been accused of illegally meddling in the affairs of the Punjab LandDevelopment Company (PLDC) that caused over Rs1 billion loss to thenational exchequer.