SC returns plea for Imran’s disqualification
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday returns a petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Imran Khan for not being sadiq (truthful) and ameen (righteous), and on other grounds.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar rejected the petition on the grounds that the plea — filed at a time when Khan had not been elected prime minister — had become infructuous.
The court ruled that the petition seeking Khan’s disqualification as an MNA was filed during the term of the previous National Assembly, which has now completed its tenure.“The application has already been rendered ineffective,” observed Justice Ijazul Ahsan.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the bench that they had filed an application of a similar nature in a high court as well.
At this, the bench informed him that the petitioner had the full right to approach any other legal forum with his plea.
The court subsequently dismissed the application after the petitioner’s counsel said he was withdrawing it.
The petition was filed by Barrister Danyal Chaudhry in May last year soon after the apex court had constituted a six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe allegations of corruption against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and had been pending before the court since then.
The petitioner was seeking a special oath for the JIT members to protect them from getting influenced by the speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan.
The petition filed through Advocate Quasain Faisal Mufti had requested the apex court to restrain Khan from activities which could influence the minds of the JIT members because his speeches and press releases could prejudice the investigation team.
It also feared that if Khan was not stopped from making political statements, it might allegedly result in derailment of democracy — a process running successfully and smoothly for a decade.
The petition had also requested the SC to order the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) not to allow broadcast by the electronic media of any material which jeopardised the sovereignty, integrity and solidarity of Pakistan and well-being and prosperity of the people of Pakistan.