ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has sealed lifetime disqualification of politicians paying way for former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and others to contest the Feb general elections.
The verdict also benefit Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Jehangir Khan Tareen who has already filed nomination papers for the forthcoming general elections.
A seven-member bench of the apex court announced its short order while explaining Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution with a 6-1 majority.
Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, the bench consisted of Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Afridi, Aminuddin Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musarrat Hilali.
The court overruled its judgement of 2018 in Samiullah Baloch case wherein the disqualification handed down under Article 62(1)(f) was thought to be permanent.
The verdict said the disqualification under the Election Act was of five years. It said Article 62 (1) (f) does not explain how long a politician would stand disqualified.
Moreover, there is also no law that can explain what would be the procedure to disqualify someone under this article of the constitution.
One of the members of the bench, Yahya Afridi, however, did not agree with the judgement. He maintained that under Article 62(1)(f) disqualification was “neither lifelong nor permanent and the same shall remain effective only during the period the declaration so made by a court of law remains in force.”
The judge added, “Therefore, conclusion so drawn by this court in Sami Ullah Baloch Versus Abdul Karim Nousherwani case is legally valid, hence affirmed.”
Meanwhile, the PML-N took to the social media networking platform of X and stated that the verdict “isn’t just Nawaz Sharif’s victory. This is a victory for truth and for Pakistan’s future!!”
This isn't just Nawaz Sharif's victory.
This is a victory for truth and for Pakistan's future!! pic.twitter.com/87vQzLfxAi— PMLN (@pmln_org) January 8, 2024
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