IHC suspends PTI candidate's disqualification for mayor slot

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended the disqualification of PTI candidate Umar Amin Gandapur for Dera City mayor slot.

The plea was taken up by IHC bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah. In the interim order, the IHC ruled the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as against the law and suspended Federal Minister for Kashmir and GB Ali Amin Gandapur’s brother’s disqualification until the next hearing of the case.

The IHC has also issued a notice to the ECP to submit its reply in the case.

Earlier in the day, Umar Amin Gandapur had challenged his disqualification in the Islamabad High Court.

Amin through his lawyer filed a petition in the high court, requesting it to set aside the ECP verdict.

Also Read: JUI-F denied permission for DI Khan rally on ECP directive

He argued that the ECP in “sheer violation of the facts, circumstances and law, has illegally and unlawfully declared the petitioner as disqualified from contesting the election of City Mayor of D.I. Khan.”

The petitioner said the commission didn’t issue any warning regarding initiating disqualification proceedings against him nor did it afford him any opportunity of fair hearing.

On Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified the PTI candidate for the seat of Dera Ismail Khan city mayor from contesting the upcoming local government elections for violation of code of conduct.

The commission also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on the federal minister for violation of election code of conduct and restrained him from addressing public rallies during the election campaign for the second phase of local bodies election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).