LAHORE: Through an application filed in the Lahore High Court, the chief justice has been requested to constitute a seven-member large bench to hear a 26-year-old petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on charges of money laundering.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree has filed the application in his petition presently pending adjudication before a five-judge bench. He says the bench is seeking arguments on the point of petition’s maintainability whereas, he argues, the bench has no jurisdiction to decide it.

Barrister Jafree asks the chief justice to constitute a seven-member larger bench for further hearing and decision on the petition without taking up the point of its maintainability.

Read: Money laundering case against PM referred to CJ

In his main petition filed in 1991, the lawyer accuses Nawaz Sharif of money laundering. He asks the court to order an investigation into the matter and bring the plundered money back.

Besides action against PM Sharif for alleged money laundering, the petitioner-lawyer also asks the court to disqualify Sharif for life time.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2015

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