PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to refrain from taking further action against the disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers.
In a two-page order, the PHC provided an interim relief to the PTI members of parliament who have approached the court to challenge the ECP’s disqualification move following their conviction in the May 9 riots case.
The high court, announcing its reserved ruling on the pleas submitted by PTI’s Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz, issued notices to the election commission and other parties before adjourning the hearing till August 20.
The order stated the petitioners were convicted by the Faisalabad anti-terrorism court, and at the time of the verdict, they were not present in the said court.
It further stated that the petitioners wanted to appeal against their convictions in the Lahore High Court (LHC) as according to their lawyers, the top electoral watchdog disqualified them without hearing them.
Earlier today, the opposition leaders in the Senate and National Assembly — Senator Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub Khan, respectively, challenged the ECP’s ruling, terming them “unlawful” and pleaded with the court to overturn the ruling.
The move comes a day after ECP de-notified nine PTI lawmakers following their convictions in the May 9 cases.
Those disqualified include five members of the National Assembly, one senator, and three members of the Punjab Assembly.
The list includes Omar Ayub (MNA from NA-18 Haripur), Rai Hassan Nawaz (MNA from NA-143 Sahiwal-III), Zartaj Gul (MNA from NA-185 DG Khan-II), Rai Haider Ali (MNA from NA-96 Faisalabad-II), and Sahibzada Hamid Raza (MNA from NA-104 Faisalabad-X) from the lower house of parliament.
Punjab Assembly members Muhammad Ansar Iqbal (MPA from PP-73 Sargodha-III) Junaid Afzal (MPA from PP-98 Faisalabad-I), and Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal (MPA from PP-203 Sahiwal-VI) were also de-notified.
The disqualification came days after a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad sentenced several PTI leaders to 10 years in prison each in connection with cases registered in the aftermath of the May 9, 2023, violence.
In its verdict, the special ATC sentenced 108 individuals of the total 185 accused and acquitted 77 others including former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro.
Meanwhile, the PHC granted protective bail to PTI leader Zartaj Gul in May 9 case following her conviction by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad.
In her petition, Gul maintained that she intends to file an appeal with the LHC and is seeking protective bail to ensure she can do so without fear of immediate arrest.
Subsequently, the court, after hearing arguments, granted protective bail to former minister.
