ECP hears PM disqualification case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan held a hearing over the case of disqualification of the prime minister and his family including Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Ishaq Dar and Capt. Safdar over alleged offshore accounts named in the Panama Papers.

Attorney General Salman Butt who was representing the prime minister submitted his reply in which he said that the prime minister did not have any link to an offshore company. He added that the opposition had not been able to come up with any solid evidence.

He said that no court decision had been made over the Prime Minister’s character including the qualities of ‘Sadiq and Ameen’.

The attorney general said that the ECP was not allowed to hear a petition over the prime minister or his family’s disqualification.

In a fresh petition submitted in the ECP the attorney general said that all disqualification requests against the prime minister and his family should be removed from the ECP.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that al requests over the disqualification will be heard at the same time. He added that he will try to hear the complains every day.

During the hearing a lawyer representing Pakistan Awami Tehreek said that he had submitted a request asking the prime minister to stop working as the head of the state. “However there has no reply from the Prime Minister’s side,” he said.

The Chief Election Commissioner said thatfirst the question of the ECP’s circle of influence should be addressed.

The hearing was adjourned till November 2.