LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court for disqualification of Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan allegedly for lying to the parliament about army’s role of ‘arbitrator’ in the prevailing political impasse.

Insaf Lawyers Forum-Punjab Senior Vice President Advocate Gohar Nawaz Sindhu contends in his petition that the premier and the interior minister violated the Constitution by lying to the nation that the government did not invite the chief of army staff (COAS) to play his role as a mediator.

The petitioner states the ISPR denied government’s version. He pleads that the government tried to give an impression that COAS intervened in the situation on the request of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

Advocate Sindhu states that Article 63 envisages disqualification of a member of parliament who defames or ridicule army.

Therefore, he asks the court to disqualify both the premier and the interior minister invoking Article 63.

Meanwhile, “Wukala Mahaz for protection of the Constitution” has filed a petition through senior advocate Dr Abdul Basit and made COAS Gen Raheel Sharif a party to it.

The petitioner-organisation states that Supreme Court in its July 31, 2009, order has already declared that the army has no role in politics under the Constitution. It says being an arbitrator between the government and the protesting parties is unconstitutional for the army chief.

The petitioner asks the court to restrain the COAS from playing role of arbitrator/mediator and direct him to comply with the July 31 judgment of the SC. It also prays that the federal government be directed to resolve the crisis through dialogue.

DASTI: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court for disqualification of MNA Jamshed Ahmad Dasti (NA-178, Muzaffargarh).

A voter of the constituency, Farooq Khan, filed the petition saying the Supreme Court disqualified Dasti on the basis of holding a fake graduation degree. However, he says, the returning officer ignored the fact and the respondent was elected to the assembly again.

The petitioner says Dasti does not qualify to be a member of the parliament under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. He asks the court to declare the respondent MNA ineligible.

Published in Dawn, August 31th, 2014