ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented decision, an election tribunal in Rawalpindihas disqualified former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from contestingelections.
Earlier in the day, the appellant tribunal had sustained an appeal againstAbbasi’s candidature in NA-57 (Murree).
The single-judge bench in its written order noted that the former premierwas “guilty of concealment of facts and withholding of the completeinformation from his voters.” Declaring him to not be ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’,the tribunal stated that Abbasi was “not a qualified person to be electedor chosen as a member of majlis-e-shoora (parliament) within the meaning ofArticle 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of Pakistan.”
“Responding to the submissions of learned counsel for respondent thatunless there is a declaration of any court of law under which a person canbe declared as not qualified or not honest and Ameen, I declare that thistribunal constituted under the statutory provisions of a federal statue isa court of law and after declaring that Abbasi being guilty of concealmentof facts and withholding of the complete information from his voters is notan honest and ameen person and after such declaration, declare him as not aqualified person to be elected or chosen as a member of majlis-e-shoora(parliament) within the meaning of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution ofPakistan,” Justice Ibadur Rehman said in his judgement.
The tribunal’s decision can be challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC)and Supreme Court. legal experts stressed that the appellant tribunal canonly accept and reject nominations. They claimed that the tribunal hasexceeded its jurisdiction with the judgment.