Shahid Khaqan's nomination for interim PM challenged in SC

LAHORE: A petition seeking revocation of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s nomination papers for Interim Prime Minister has been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) Lahore registry here on Monday.

The petition was filed by Syed Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi in which he has adopted a stance that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s nominee is already facing a corruption inquiry under National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Authority (FIA). Hence, his nomination papers should be nullified for the interim premiership.

The petition further stipulates that Nawaz Sharif after getting disqualified by the Supreme Court had no authority to chair the party’s parliamentary meeting, choosing a candidate for interim prime minister.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had announced to nominate Shahid Khaqan for the premiership for the interim period until Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is elected from the NA-120 constituency to lead the government for the remaining period of the party’s term.

The National Assembly’s session is scheduled to be held on Tuesday to elect the leader of the house, the assembly secretariat will receive nomination papers till 2:00 pm today.

Shahid Khaqan was nominated after the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Panama Papers case, declared Nawaz Sharif disqualified as Prime Minister of Pakistan on corruption charges.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has  announced to field its ally Sheikh Rasheed to contest the election for new leader of the house. The PML-N and its allies have decisive majority in the lower house of Pakistan’s parliament to get their nominee elected as the new prime minister of Pakistan.