LHC dismisses petition for removal of Musharraf as APML chief

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday dismissed a petition seeking directions for removal of former president Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf as chief of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), after declaring it non-maintainable.

The court held that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party whereas he also did not approach the forum concerned for available remedy.

Justice Shahid Karim heard the petition, filed by Advocate Afaq Ahmad. The petitioner-counsel had submitted that Musharraf could not hold a political party, as he was disqualified to contest 2013 general elections.

He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified the former military dictator under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The lawyer contended that the Supreme Court recently ruled in former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's case that a disqualified person could not head a political party.

He contended that the same ruling applies to Musharraf who had been heading a political party despite being disqualified.

The petitioner-lawyer prayed to the court to order the ECP to remove the former military dictator as president of his political party named APML.