ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) filed a petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday, seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his four relatives from the National Assembly for not fulfilling requirements under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The PPP contingent, comprising Sardar Latif Khosa and Faisal Kareem Kundi, also named Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Captain Safdar and Hamza Shahbaz in the reference.

"PM Nawaz is not ‘sadiq’ and ‘amin’ anymore and therefore is not eligible to hold a seat in the NA," the petition said.

The reference claims Nawaz and Shahbaz have hidden assets of various family members and that Dar also kept secret his son's assets.

It alleges that PM's daughter, Mariam Nawaz's assets are concealed by her husband Captain Safdar.

The PPP had on Saturday finalised the draft of the reference it filed with the ECP today.

“PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has approved the draft of the reference to be filed in the ECP to seek disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as well as retired Capt Muhammad Safdar and Hamza Shahbaz, members of the National Assembly,” PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar had told Dawn on Saturday.

Asked whether the PPP had made up its mind to file the reference following in the footsteps of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), he said: “Mr Bhutto-Zardari had approved the draft in the June 24 meeting of the party’s senior leadership whereas the PTI filed the reference after that.”

Over a month ago, on the directive of Mr Bhutto-Zardari, the PPP’s legal team prepared the draft of the reference but did not get a final nod of the chairman to file it. A source said the draft was also sent to former president Asif Ali Zardari who finally gave a go-ahead.

Opinion

Editorial

Reserved seats
Updated 15 May, 2024

Reserved seats

The ECP's decisions and actions clearly need to be reviewed in light of the country’s laws.
Secretive state
15 May, 2024

Secretive state

THERE is a fresh push by the state to stamp out all criticism by using the alibi of protecting national interests....
Plague of rape
15 May, 2024

Plague of rape

FLAWED narratives about women — from being weak and vulnerable to provocative and culpable — have led to...
Privatisation divide
Updated 14 May, 2024

Privatisation divide

How this disagreement within the government will sit with the IMF is anybody’s guess.
AJK protests
14 May, 2024

AJK protests

SINCE last week, Azad Jammu & Kashmir has been roiled by protests, fuelled principally by a disconnect between...
Guns and guards
14 May, 2024

Guns and guards

THERE are some flawed aspects to our society that we must start to fix at the grassroots level. One of these is the...