ISLAMABAD: PML-N MNAs has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the disqualification of Parliamentary Secretary on Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari and Parliamentary Secretary on Planning Kanwal Shauzab under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

Shaista Pervaiz Malik and Tahira Bukhari have filed identical petitions in court challenging the eligibility of both PTI lawmakers. Ms Malik has contended that Ms Shauzab should be disqualified for providing incorrect information to the Election Commission (ECP), while Tahira Bukhari has alleged that Maleeka Bokhari concealed her British nationality from the ECP when filing her nomination papers.

Ms Malik’s petition says that Ms Shauzab lives in Islamabad, but when she contested the Senate elections she provided the ECP with incorrect information regarding her permanent residents. She argued that because of this she was not eligible to retain her National Assembly seat under articles 62 and 63.

The petition asked the court to direct the ECP to remove her for not being honest and righteous.

Tahira Bukhari said in her petition that Maleeka Bokhari has claimed to have rescinded her British citizenship, but held dual nationality when she filed her nomination papers.

She also claimed that it was likely that Maleeka Bokhari would resume her British nationality, which violates a recent Supreme Court judgement on dual nationality.

The petition asked for Maleeka Bokhari to be disqualified for the National Assembly.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2019