ISLAMABAD – After the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling that disqualificationunder Article 63 (1)(f) is permanent, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)leader Jahangir Tareen said he believed in the law but it should not beapplicable in his case.
The former secretary general took to Twitter and said that although hebelieves in Article 62 1(f) to be for life, he thinks that the rule was notapplicable for him. He expressed his hope that he will get justice as hisreview was still pending.
I always believed 62 1(f) to be for life but not applicable in my case.Fullmoney trail provided of tax paid Income, property declared in assets ofchildren and not mine on advice of tax consultant. This was the only issue.My review is still pending and IA justice will prevail
— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) April 13, 2018link>
Tareen was disqualified last year by the SC for not disclosing his assetsto the Election Commission of Pakistan and for violations of the lncome TaxOrdinance, 1979, and Peoples Act, 1974.
The SC has ruled today that that those disqualified under Article 62(1)(f)of the constitution would be disqualified for life. Hence, they would notbe allowed to run elections or hold a public office. The former PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified last year under the same articlecannot run for elections either.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also tookto twitter and spoke about SC’s ruling. He said that both PTI and PML-Nhad forced the judicialization of our politics and now must face theconsequences.
I am of the belief that it’s the people of Pakistan who should make suchdecisions about the fate of politicians. Unfortunately it is PTI & PMLNthemselves who have forced the judicialization of our politics. NaehalNawaz & Tareen must now face the consequences of their actions.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 13, 2018link>
Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, chief of Awami Muslim league, also shared his thoughtson Sharif’s disqualification.
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— Sheikh Rashid Ahmad (@ShkhRasheed) April 13, 2018link>
PPP leader Khursheed Shah too blamed the deposed prime minister and saidthat Sharif had supported Article 62 against other politicians and has nowbeen trapped in it himself.
State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb has termed the ruling as a‘joke that has already been played on previous prime ministers.’ She saidthat as long as Sharif was in the hearts of the people,the disqualification for life will hold no meaning.