ECP adjourns Faryal Talpur disqualification case over absence of her lawyer

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday adjourned plea seeking disqualification of former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur as a member of the Sindh Assembly until January 18.

The hearing was adjourned as Talpur’s lawyer Farooq H Naek did not show up before the ECP due to his engagements at the Supreme Court.

In today’s hearing, the assistant lawyer informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that Farooq H Naek is busy at the Supreme Court and added that the case is under trial at the apex court and sought adjournment of the hearing.

Is it enough to say that the case is under trial in the SC, there is no stay from the SC, ECP member Nisar Durrani said.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing until December 18.

On September 20, Talpur was given the last chance to respond in the plea against her disqualification as MPA.

Faryal Talpur submitted her response to the ECP through her lawyer Sheeraz Rajput.

Two Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Arsalan Taj and Rabia Azfar had moved a petition in the ECP seeking disqualification of Ms Talpur as a member of the provincial assembly over allegedly concealing her assets.

They stated the PPP leader should be disqualified under Article 62 of the Constitution as she failed to declare details of her assets before the ECP, which means she is no longer ‘Sadiq and Ameen’.

Faryal Talpur owned properties in Larkana and Shahdadkot, the petitioner stated, adding Talpur had been nominated in a case pertaining to billions of rupees corruption through fake bank accounts.