ECP rejects Faryal Talpur's plea to quash disqualification case

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday rejected a plea of former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur seeking quashment of a disqualification case against her.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, announced this verdict. It had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of both sides on Jan 11. The hearing of the case was adjourned until March 22.

During a previous hearing, Talpur’s lawyer Farooq H Naek, F, requested the bench to dismiss the plea for being non-maintainable.

Also Read: ECP reserves verdict on plea for Talpur’s disqualification

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 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. They pleaded that she be disqualified as a member of the Sindh Assembly.