Fawad Chaudhry – Shahid Khaqan Abbasi allowed to contest elections
As reported by INP, the decision about disqualifying Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was dismissed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) here on Thursday. An appellate tribunal had disqualified the former premier for life, barring him from contesting in the upcoming polls, from NA-57 (Murree).
Mr. Abbasi was found guilty of ‘concealment of facts’ by an election tribunal, following the acceptance of objections raised by Masood Ahmed Abbasi, the petitioner. Mr. Masood had further alleged the PML-N leader of tampering with the nomination papers pertaining to his home constituency i.e. NA-57.
Considering the plea, the said election tribunal had disqualified Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former Prime Minister, from contesting the 2018 polls.
The Lahore High Court further announced that PTI’s Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry is also allowed to contest elections while from NA-67 Jhelum; the appellate tribunal’s judgment was turned down by the LHC.
ROs of both NA-57 and NA-67 had appeared before LHC along with the relevant documents/record in cases of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of PML-N and Fawad Chaudhry of PTI.
The other day, when the court’s proceedings started, Abbasi appeared in person and in reply to his counsel’s arguments (that appellate tribunal cannot disqualify anyone for life), the court remarked as under:
“Mr Abbasi! We want to speak with you directly. The governments keep on changing with time though; the courts work (changes) as per law. Talking against us could be easy for you but being a judge is not as easy as it seems. You have to appear before these same courts if next time, it’s not your government. It won’t be an Australian court for you to appear before.”
The court added further that,
“When and whatever happened with them, PPP did not utter a word and you thus have the same respect also, as it is of someone else.” “We carry no agenda,” said the court, adding “Keep working according to whatever are your plan(s) but refrain from saying anything against judiciary.”
The judge further directed “Don’t you know about the incidents of Nawaz Sharif’s being hit by a shoe, Bilawal being stonned in Karachi and Khawaja Asif being inked? Being a former premier, you should be trying to save and rectify the system instead.”
To conclude, the judge said “This matter is not relevant though yet speaking all this is necessary.”
“When Nawaz Sharif was disqualified, you had stated that he is your Prime Minister. Should you have made such remarks?” the judge inquired and concluded the proceedings.