IHC hears Arshad Vohra's plea against his disqualification

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday heard petition of former deputy mayor of Karachi Arshad Vohra against his disqualification by the election commission, ARY News reported.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had deseated Vohra over a petition of his former party MQM-P after he switched loyalties to Pak Sarzameen Party.

Justice Aamir Farooq of IHC asked the counsel of the petitioner whether his client (Arshad Vohra) switched the party? “You got ticket from one party and then joined another,” Justice Farooq said.

After August 2016 speech (of the MQM founder) the party was changed. “Nadeem Nusrat issued party ticket to my client”, the counsel of Vohra said.

“Leaving a party to join another affects the previous party or not,” Justice Aamir Farooq asked the counsel.

“How can a party which didn’t issue the ticket seek disqualification of an official,” Vohra’s counsel asked the court.

The lawyer sought some time from the bench for preparation of the case.

The court granted the request and adjourned the hearing.

According to the election schedule announced by the ECP, the election of Deputy Mayor Karachi will be held on April 18.

Over 302 members of Karachi’s City Council will use their right to vote to elect the new deputy mayor of the city.

Vohra had become the deputy mayor on the ticket of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan. He had been elected chairman from the Union Council 49 in local councils elections from Karachi’s central district. Later, he joined Pak Sarzameen Party.

His former party MQM-P sought the election commission to de-seat Vohra for switching loyalty to the Mustafa Kamal-led party.

A five-member bench of the ECP headed by its chief Justice (retd) Sardar Raza heard the petition and announced to deseat the deputy mayor.