ISLAMABAD: The electoral organisation is scheduled to announce today (Thursday) the verdict on a reference seeking disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Saifullah Abro from Senate, moved by Shahadat Awan from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
According to the cause list issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday, the verdict, reserved earlier on Tuesday, would be announced Thursday afternoon.
A three-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard this case, and would announce the verdict.
Awan has sought Abro’s disqualification from Senate for allegedly not meeting the criteria for election on Senate’s technocrat seat and concealing wealth details.
Abro was elected as Senator on technocrat seat from Sindh on PTI ticket in March 2021 Senate elections.
In a Senate meeting on 5 September, last year, Abro and Awan had a heated exchange of words. Both legislators levelled serious allegations against each other.
Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was presiding over the session, suspended the Senate proceedings for a few minutes, and summoned the two senators in his chamber urging them to resolve the matter. When the house proceedings resumed, Abro and Awan shook hands and embraced each other.
However, the hostility between the two senators reportedly continued in the days that followed, and the PPP legislator filed in the Senate Secretariat the reference against the PTI lawmaker.
The reference was sent to the ECP by Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani.
In the light of the relevant provisions of Article 63, if any question arises regarding a senator’s disqualification, the chairman Senate shall refer the question to the ECP within 30 days, and if he fails to do so within the aforesaid period, it shall be deemed to have been referred to the ECP. The ECP shall decide the question within 90 days from its receipt.
Under this article, if the ECP is of the opinion that the said senator has become disqualified, he shall cease to be a member and Senate seat shall become vacant.
The Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution says that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Parliament unless—he is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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