Pre-poll rigging: SC hears Dr Mubashir Hassan’s petition

ISLAMABAD: A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing the petition filed by Dr Mubashir Hassan against ‘pre-poll rigging’ here on Tuesday.

During today’s proceedings, the Chief Justice remarked that the main objective of the petition is to ensure the implementation of Article 62 and 63. The court has already ordered to provide the voters access to the candidates’ data and sought advice over the steps that can be taken in this regard.

The CJ continued saying that the court can neither legislate nor can issue SOPs. The court is unaware of the objections that a voter can raise over the candidates. Orders were also issued in the dual nationality case. The condition of holding a degree has also been quashed this time that was mandatory earlier.

Azhar Siddique, one of the lawyers representing Dr Musbashir Hassan, said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is giving false information about the verification of the degrees as revealed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

On this, the CJ remarked that whether the ECP should conduct elections or attend court proceedings. He asked to identify the persons about who the commission had provided wrong information so that the court could summon them.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry further said that the ECP knows better how to implement Article 62 and 63.

Dr Mubashir Hassan’s counsel AJ Dogar contended that the SC, in its July 31 order, had declared November 3 steps taken by former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf as null and void. He violated the constitution but now he is preparing to contest in the elections. On this, the CJ said that objection should be raised from where Musharraf is submitting the nomination papers.

The court, then, adjourned the hearing for one week.

On Tuesday, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had remarked that the election process has begun and there should be no interference in it.

In his petition‚ Dr Mubashir Hassan had stated that 50 billion rupees are being used to rig the elections.

He said that former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had used discretionary fund worth 37 billion rupees for the purpose.

The petition further contended that the step of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to regularize 100‚000 contract employees is also pre-poll rigging.

The petition sought declaration of the appointments and actions null and void to ensure free and fair election.