Imran’s party files petition against Sharif’s activities

islamabad — The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf filed on Wednesday a petition with the poll panel asking it to restrain ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from leading or taking part in political activities.

The petition was prepared by advocate Babar Awan and was submitted by Yasmin Rashid, the party’s contender for forthcoming NA-120 by-poll in Lahore, Dawn newspaper reported.

The opposition had decried Sharif’s continued role in the PML-N after his disqualification under Article 62 of the Constitution in the Panamagate papers case.

The petition stated that the former Premier be declared ineligible for membership of any political party and the party carrying his name should be enlisted as a banned organisation, the report said.

It further demanded that using Sharif’s name for the party must be declared as contrary to law and Constitution. The petition also said that nominations made by Sharif for the post of the Prime Minister and for the Cabinet should be declared illegal.

A day earlier on Tuesday, the ECP had issued a notice to the PML-N for the appointment of a new party leader, saying that under the Political Parties Order 2002, a disqualified lawmaker cannot hold any office in a political party.

On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench in the Panama Papers case ruling had asked Sharif to step down as Prime Minister over undeclared assets. The verdict stated that he was not “honest” and “truthful” as per the country’s Constitution. —