SC throws out review petition seeking PM Imran’s disqualification

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition, filed by now incarcerated PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, challenging the verdict of a disqualification case against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A Supreme Court bench after hearing the review petition on the verdict of a disqualification case against Premier Khan announced to reject the request of the petitioner seeking revision of the previous verdict.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar noted that the postulates which were being raised during the proceeding, were not present in the initial arguments given by the counsel of petitioner.

In the nomination form of 2002, if assets are not declared then an individual can not be declared disqualified, the Chief Justice said, adding, “The facts pertaining to the disqualification case of Nawaz Sharif were different from Imran Khan’s, hence these two petitions can not be brought parallel.”

In January this year, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi had filed a review petition against the apex court decision to reject the disqualification case against PM Imran.

The 13-page review petition challenged the eligibility of Imran for holding public office and alleged the Premier over non-disclosure of his assets and ownership of offshore companies.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed a constitutional petition seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Imran Khan for allegedly concealing mandatory details in his nomination papers for the July 25 elections.

On August 18, President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to Mr Khan a day after he was elected as 22^nd prime minister of the country by the National Assembly to form the government at the Centre.

For the cricket legend-turned-politician, his party’s first place in a national election and becoming country’s prime minister is the culmination of a battle that started more than two decades ago.