ISLAMABAD: The Sup­reme Court rejected on Monday a 2017 petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Imran Khan by holding that the plea had become infructuous.

Taking up the petition filed by PML-N senator’s son Barrister Danyal Chaudhry through his counsel Qausain Faisal Mufti, a three-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said the plea was moved when Imran Khan had not become the prime minister.

The court said the petition seeking disqualification of Mr Khan as MNA had been filed during the previous National Assem­bly’s term which had now completed its tenure and, therefore, the petition had been rendered ineffective.

The bench was informed that a similar petition was also pending before a high court.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petition when the counsel said he was withdrawing it.

The petition was filed against the backdrop of apex court’s order for constituting a six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe allegations of corruption against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers leaks case.

The petitioner had sought a special oath for the JIT members to protect them from being influenced by the speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan. He had also sought an order restraining Mr Khan from activities that could influence the minds of the JIT members because his speeches and press releases could prejudice the investigation team.

The petitioner had feared that if Mr 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.

Danyal Chaudhry had also requested the court to order the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority 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.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018