LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday suspended the Election Commission’s (ECP) decision on the disqualification of PTI’s MNA Jamshed Dasti and the schedule for the by-election to NA-175.
The court also issued a notice to the Attorney General of Pakistan for assistance on the petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jamshed Dasti filed against his disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
On July 15, the ECP declared Jamshed Dasti’s academic degrees as fake and disqualified him from being a member of the National Assembly.
A three-member LHC full bench, headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, heard the petition filed by PTI leader Jamshed Dasti against his disqualification.
The chief justice asked, “Counsel, please tell when you signed the power of attorney. Tell the truth; the story is quite interesting.” Jamshed Dasti’s lawyer responded, “I signed the power of attorney with a delay.”
The chief justice said, “I have read the entire petition, the Election Commission’s decision and everything.”
Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry argued that a reference was sent to the Election Commission, which then issued a notice. He cited a Supreme Court ruling that states that the Election Commission cannot disqualify anyone on its own without a judicial declaration. In this case, the Election Commission disqualified the petitioner without any such declaration.
Subsequently, the court suspended the by-election schedule in NA-175 at the request of Jamshed Dasti and halted the by-poll process. It also suspended the Election Commission’s action against the PTI leader and issued a notice to the Attorney General for assistance.
