IHC restores 10-year disqualification for NAB convicts

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored on Thursday 10-year disqualification for the convicts charged under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), ARY News reported.

The IHC’s division bench — consisting of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — restored the 10-year disqualification period of convicts

As per the verdict, the disqualification period spanned five years instead of 10.

Today’s order came during the hearing of a plea filed by NAB against the reduction of the 10-year disqualification of its convict to five years.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had moved Islamabad High Court (IHC) for restoration of the 10-year disqualification period.

As per details, the anti-graft watchdog stated in its plea that the single bench limited the 10-year disqualification period to 5 years in June this year.

However, NAB has filed an intra-court appeal against the single-bench verdict and urged the court to suspend the verdict limiting the disqualification period.

Read more: Acting President signs bill limiting lawmakers’ disqualification period

It is pertinent to mention here that the then acting President Sadiq Sanjrani, who assumed the role when President Arif Alvi went on Haj, approved the Elections Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aimed at reducing the period of disqualification of lawmakers to five years.

The acting president gives assent to bill “as advised by former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif”, following which the latter becomes Act of Parliament.

The National Assembly had passed the Elections Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aimed at abolishing lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62 (1) (f), and empowering the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to set the date for polls without consulting the president.

Following the approval by acting president Sanjrani, its immediate beneficiaries were three-time former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Jahangir Tareen, who were disqualified for life.

The Supreme Court disqualified both senior politicians for life in June and December 2017, respectively, after they were found to be “dishonest” under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.