Supreme Court forms larger bench to hear lifetime disqualification cases

Supreme Court forms larger bench to hear lifetime disqualification cases

Pakistan

Supreme Court forms larger bench to hear lifetime disqualification cases

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has constituted a larger bench to take up the case related to lifetime disqualifications awarded to parliamentarians under Article 62(1)f of the Constitution. 

According to details, the seven-member larger bench will be headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa. The bench is set to take up the case on Jan 2 next year.

The case holds immense significance especially in the backdrop of the lifetime disqualifications of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif and political heavyweight Jahangir Khan Tareen, the chief of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party. 

As former prime minister Nawaz Sharif sees another prime ministerial bid, the only remaining legal obstacle preventing him from participating in the upcoming election on Feb 8 next year is his lifetime disqualification as a parliamentarian by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.

IPP chief Jahangir Khan Tareen, who is currently spearheading his party’s election campaign in a whirlwind tour of the country, had been disqualified for life for concealing a company he had created outside Pakistan to save his money. 

In May 2018, a five-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by the then CJP Mian Saqib Nisar, while handing down a verdict, ruled that disqualification of public representatives, Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Khan Tareen – under Article 62(1)(f) was for life.

According to Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) “unless — he is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law”. 

The apex court’s ruling had addressed an ambiguity at the time over Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification and whether he was barred from office for life or a specific period of time.

The court had ruled that the disqualification of a parliamentarian under the provision was permanent and would remain in force until another verdict comes in his/her favour or the disqualification verdict was struck down.