LHC lifts Khaqan's Disqualification

The Lahore High Court on Friday suspended decision of an appellate tribunal disqualifying former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi life time allowed him to contest the election from his native constituency, NA-57. The court also sought reply from the election commission of Pakistan by July 02. The appellate tribunal had rejected the nomination papers of Abbasi for being guilty of concealment of facts and declared him disqualified life time under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution being not an honest and sagacious (Sadiq & Ameen).
Abbasi was present in the courtroom when his counsel Khwaja Tariq Rahim argued before the court that the appellate tribunal had no jurisdiction to act as a constitutional court. He said the impugned declaration issued by the appellate tribunal was beyond its jurisdiction. He said the tribunal punished the petitioner without affording an opportunity of hearing, which was a sheer violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution.
Advocate Khawaja Tariq pointed out that the petitioner was bound to mention cost of his assets incurred upon its establishment, which he duly disclosed in the nomination papers. The court observed that the petitioner had been condemned unheard and suspended the operation of the impugned decision of the appellate tribunal. The court asked the counsel of the election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to convey order of the court to the returning officer concerned for necessary action.
Earlier in the day, Abbasi also appeared before a three-judge full bench seized with a petition seeking action against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for trying to defame state institutions and not honouring his oath of office by disclosing minutes of National Security Council's meeting to his party's leader.
The ex-PM told the bench that he was yet to receive a notice by the court, however, appeared on his own after knowing about the court's direction through media reports as he was due to visit the high court for his petition against the decision of the appellate tribunal.