ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) filed an appeal before the Supreme Court on Monday against refusal by the court’s office to entertain a petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly misleading the National Assembly.

The Supreme Court’s office had returned on Sept 9 the petition submitted by senior counsel Irfan Qadir on behalf of PTI leader Ishaq Khan Khakwani, saying none of the fundamental rights of the petitioner had been violated, he had no locus standi to file the plea and the apex court was not the right forum for redressing the grievance.

Another objection raised by the office was that the prime minister enjoyed immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution.

Mr Khakwani had alleged in the petition that the prime minister had misled the National Assembly on Aug 29 about the army chief’s role as a facilitator for negotiations with the parties protesting in Islamabad.

He contended that prime minster was liable to face proceedings under Article 62(f).

In his appeal, the petitioner said the registrar’s office had no authority to decide whether the petition could be entertained.

He said the question of maintainability of a petition should be decided by the Supreme Court in terms of Article 184(3) and the officer concerned had assumed the function without citing any rule.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2014