Govt wants ECP to declare Ishaq Dar's Senate seat vacant

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the House in the Senate Shahzad Waseem on Wednesday requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare former finance minister and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar’s seat in the upper house of Parliament vacant over his failure to take oath as senator.

In a letter to the chief election commissioner, he said the Supreme Court on Dec 21 withdrew its stay order, restoring Dar’s Senate membership.

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Under the Election Ordinance 2021, he said an elected representative is bound to take oath within 60 days of the polls, adding that Dar has failed to take oath within the stipulated time. He requested the ECP to declare Dar’s Senate seat vacant and issue schedule for by-election on the seat.

On Tuesday, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani shattered PML-N leader and former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s hopes of taking oath as senator via video link.

Also Read: ECP restores Senate membership of Ishaq Dar

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani wrote back to Dar, terming oath-taking via a video link unconstitutional.

He said the PML-N senator-elect, who is currently staying in London, conveyed his intentions to take oath virtually. “Taking oath virtually is not possible as per the Constitution,” he said, quoting its Articles 65 and 255.

Dar earlier this month wrote a letter to the Senate chairman stating that he was under treatment in the UK capital and could not appear in the upper house of Parliament in person. He, therefore, requested that arrangements should be made for his oath-taking via video link.