LAHORE: There is still some hope for Sheikh Rashid, as his petition against deferring election on a National Assembly seat from Rawalpindi (NA-60) is set to be taken up for hearing at Lahore registry of the Supreme Court.
The petition of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief was transferred to the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry earlier today, where Chief Justice Saqib Nisar will hear the petition filed by Sheikh Rashid.
Sheikh approached the top court in the wake of Lahore High Court’s verdict rejecting his appeal of nullifying the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision of deferring election on NA-60.
AML chief has said that he will accept the court’s verdict, “whatever it may be”. He has left for Lahore via Motorway.
In his petition, he stated election in NA-60 was postponed after disqualification of PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi who was awarded life in prison after found guilty by a court in the ephedrine case.
He argued the Commission didn’t come up with a plausible reason for putting off the election. Election can only be postponed in case of death of a contestant, he added.
The ECP’s decision is in violation of Election Act 2017 and relevant articles of the Constitution, he stated while pleading that its notification postponing election be declared void.
On Sunday, the ECP issued a notification postponing election in NA-60 after disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Hanif Abbasi due to his conviction by the Control of Narcotics Substances Court in the ephedrine case.
