LAHORE (Staff Report) – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday accepted a plea seeking the lifetime disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for having lied in Parliament about the money-laundering and tax evasion allegations leveled against him after his family was associated with three offshore companies listed in the Panama Papers.
The plea, filed by PTI leader Gohar Nawaz Sindhu, stated that the Panama Papers leak had confirmed the allegations of money laundering and tax evasions leveled against the Prime Minister. Hence, the court should impose a lifetime disqualification on the premier, preventing him from contesting elections, the petitioner held.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the petitioner informed the court that the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had dismissed a similar reference seeking the disqualification Nawaz Sharif as PM for making false statements in the NA.
Justice Shahid Waheed, who presided over the hearing, directed the petitioner to also include Ayaz Sadiq’s verdict in the case.
Read more: PM Nawaz may be disqualified for life by LHC for “false” statement
On Tuesday, the Lahore High Court sought a reply from the Election Commission of Pakistan in the same case.
According to media reports, the Lahore High Court, after hearing arguments from both sides, asked the ECP to reply within 10 days.
The lifetime disqualification of the Prime Minister has been sought under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution on the qualification criteria for members of Parliament.
