LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice on Monday gave time till December 12 to the government for filing reply to a petition against election of former PM Nawaz Sharif as president of his own faction of Pakistan Muslim League and against the sections 203 & 232 of the Election Act, 2017. The chief justice earlier had sought replies from the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan. During the hearing of petition on Monday, the government’s counsel sought a week for filing the reply. The chief justice accepted the request. Supreme Court Bar Association former secretary Aftab Ahmad Bajwa moved the petition. Petitioner’s counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that impugned act was only to facilitate Nawaz Sharif to head his political party despite his disqualification in Panama Papers case. He pleaded that disqualification under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution could not be overtaken by sub-constitutional law and a person who could not become a parliamentarian due to operation of constitutional law, he surely could not become head or office-bearer of a political party. He said that it was settled law that what could not be over ruled directly or indirectly. He said that the election of Nawaz Sharif as president of PML-N amounted to mocking justice and fair play and was against all canons of law.
Published in Daily Times, November 5th 2017.
