June 18, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 13, 1429

LAHORE, June 17: At least four applications have been filed in the Lahore High Court, seeking right to become a party to petitions against the qualification of PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The petitioners include the PML-N Lawyers Forum, the Concerned Citizens of Pakistan, the Pakistan Lawyers Forum and the PML-N’s Lahore chapter. The applicants seek to become parties to petitions against Mr Sharif, seeking his disqualification from NA-123 and NA-52, Rawalpindi.

The petitioner, Noor Elahi, a candidate from NA-123, said the election commission could not allow Mr Sharif to contest the election because he is a convict, dishonest and a defaulter. A three-judge bench of the Lahore High Court is scheduled to take up the petitions on Wednesday (today).

Those who want to become a party to the petition in defence of Mr Sharif say: “It is in the spirit of citizens’ obligation to the State that this application is being made for rendering assistance to court in arriving at a correct decision.

“That the candidature of Mian Nawaz Sharif is under challenge before this court and any outcome thereof is likely to affect the rights of the petitioners, who, although not made party to the proceedings, have to be heard as a necessary and proper party,” they pleaded.

They requested court to allow them to plead and take all such necessary steps that may help this court in coming to a right decision.

Talking to Dawn, Advocate Ashtar Ausaf said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif did not recognise the judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order. He said Mr Sharif stood firm on his stance and did not engage any lawyer on his own to plead his case before court.