SC suspends ECP's decision to disqualify MNA Adil Bazai

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict that disqualified MNA Adil Bazai over the alleged floor crossing, ARY News reported.

A three-member SC bench headed by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah suspended the ECP decision and restored Adil Bazai as MNA till December 12.

It may be noted here that the ECP, on a reference filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, disqualified the MNA over floor crossing.

Adil Bazai, an independent candidate from Quetta, had initially submitted an affidavit joining the PML-N, only to switch allegiance to the Sunni Ittehad Council a few days later.

During the hearing, the MNA’s lawyer claimed that his PML-N membership affidavit was fake. Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer argued that Bazai’s actions violated the constitution, particularly in the finance bill and constitutional amendment voting.

Contesting as an independent candidate Bazai was declared winner from NA-262 (Quetta) and later displayed on the National Assembly’s website as joining the PML-N.

Adil Bazai repeatedly denied about joining the PML-N on social media accounts.

The PML-N reference read that the party’s lawmaker, the MNA has become dissident. Nawaz Sharif in his reference asked the electoral body to de-seat Bazai from his seat.