SC rejects Tareen’s review petition, upholds lifetime disqualification

islamabad — The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed review petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Jahangir Tareen challenging his lifetime disqualification, under Article 62 (1)(f) of the constitution.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, observed that there were no grounds to review the verdict disqualifying the former PTI general secretary.

Addressing the counsel of Tareen, Sikandar Basheer Mohmand, the top judge said, “Your client is a significant leader. He should have thought about bringing money back to Pakistan”.

Tareen had been disqualified by the top court in its December 15, 2017 verdict under Article 62(1)(f)

of the constitution because of his blatant misstatement and hiding the ownership of the house property and failure to declare it in his nomination papers.

In the review petition against his disqualification, Tareen had informed the court that he could not present legal instruments and specific documents regarding his trust — Shiny View Limited (SVL) — and a property — Hyde House — during the course of litigation because they were not in his personal knowledge, possession or control.

“My understanding and knowledge of the trust arrangement, its legal aspect and components and its legal effect was that of a layperson gathered from my interaction with my professional advisers and the trustees,” Tareen had pleaded in the review petition.

In addition to turning down Tareen’s review petition today, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also asked his counsel to disclose the total amount of funds his client had moved abroad.

The counsel replied that the amount mentioned in the court’s order was Rs500 million. At this, the chief justice reminded the counsel of the federal govt’s drive to repatriate funds moved abroad, adding: “Has such a big leader given any thought to returning the money.”

In another case, the apex court refused to form a full bench to hear a review petition filed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Hanif Abbasi against the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the disqualification case against Prime Minister Imran Khan. The same bench will hear PML-N leader Hanif’s review petition. Akram Sheikh will represent Abbasi before the court. —