Fugitives cannot be barred from participating in elections, remarks SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday remarked that fugitives cannot be barred from participating in elections, ARY News reported.

These remarks were passed by the SC bench hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf‘s candidate from NA-87, Umar Aslam, who is an absconder after being named in the May 9 riots case.

Bench head Justice Mansoor Ali Shah asserted the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) or the courts in determining the status of an individual as an advertisement.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah in his remarks said no law can bar a fugitive from contesting elections. “How can one be deprived of basic rights,” Justice Shah asked.

Reference was made to Article 17, emphasizing that people hold paramount importance under fundamental human rights, as noted by Justice Athar Minallah.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah advocated for letting the people of Pakistan decide their elected representatives.

Lawyer opposing Umar Aslam’s candidacy said the PTI candidate did not physically appear for scrutiny of his nomination papers.

However, the court allowed the PTI candidate to contest the election.

Pakistan is set to witness general elections on February 8.

Separately, the Federal cabinet on Thursday issued an official notification regarding the deployment of Pakistan Army’s personnel across Pakistan to perform duties at sensitive constituencies and polling stations during the elections.