LHC turns down plea seeking to restore Nawaz Sharif as party head

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday turned down a petition seeking to restore former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), ARY News reported.

LHC judge Justice Ali Baqar Najafi declared the petition inadmissible while upholding the objection raised by the registrar’s office.

The petition had been filed by a lawyer named Afaq Ahmed.

Imran Khan, Shaikh Rashid, Sirajul Haq, the Election Commission of Pakistan, federal government and the prime minister had been made party in the petition filed in the high court.

“Nawaz Sharif was disqualified from the National Assembly in year 2017. Imran Khan, Shaikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq had filed petition for removal of Nawaz Sharif from the party office,” according to the plea. “In year 2018, the Supreme Court ordered removal of Nawaz Sharif as president of the party”.

“The Supreme Court has disqualified Imran Khan from NA-95 Mianwali. Imran Khan and his collaborators Shaikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq should be removed as party heads,” petitioner further argued. “Imran Khan, Shaikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq have not remained truthful and trustworthy,” according to the plea.

It also sought court ruling for proceedings against Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid and Sirajul Haq under Article 63 of the constitution.

In July 2017, the apex court disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister of the country in a suo motu case initiated following what are called the “Panama Papers” leaks. Subsequently, he was declared ineligible for the party presidency.