PM?s disqualification case: ECP asks parties to present tangible proof by 17th

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday began hearing the four references filed by many political parties, seeking disqualification of the prime minister and the forum asked them to come up on August 17 with documentary evidence.

The forum witnessed an interesting situation when PPP’s senior leader and lawyer Latif Khosa could not read from the documentary evidence that he had submitted to the Election Commission along with an application for disqualification of the premier. He was asked how could the forum give its judgment on the basis of such evidence that could not be read.   

In the packed hall of the Election Commission Secretariat here, the Chief Election Commissioner, Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza, chaired the five-member bench, also consisting of four of the Election Commission members. The PPP, PTI, PAT and AML have filed separate references to get Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif disqualified for allegedly hiding facts in his nomination papers and income tax returns.

Giving arguments in support of his reference, Khosa contended that the prime minister had lied about his assets while submitting the nomination papers and he be charged for hiding his assets. Nawaz Sharif’s children made offshore companies, which had been mentioned also in the Panama Papers. “Hence the prime minister is no more sadiq and ameen,” he charged.

On this, Sardar Raza asked him was his application for the disqualification of the prime minister or against his sons, Khosa replied that it was against the prime minister, whose sons’ statements had been appearing in the media that they relied on their father for expenditure and business.

PTI’s lawyer, while giving arguments before the bench, said that the prime minister of Iceland had tendered his resignation after knowing about his name in the Panama Papers. To this, the bench asked him, was the name of Pakistan’s prime minister also mentioned in the PanamaLeaks, his reply was in the negative.

On his turn, PAT lawyer urged the bench for disqualification of the prime minister for his name was in the case as one of the accused, filed with reference to Model Town killings. The bench contended that he should approach the relevant forum, as without any decision in the case from the court of law, no judgement could be given in this matter. 

Talking to media outside the Election Commission, PTI’s Information Secretary Naeemul Haq, who was present during the proceedings, urged for holding hearing daily in the references.

PML-N’s Daniyal Aziz told media persons that all the four parties had conceded before the Election Commission that the name of prime minister was not mentioned in the Panama Papers. He noted that the four parties had filed references without having evidence to substantiate their contention against the prime minister.

- Originally appeared in The News