Daily Times

Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking disqualification of former president Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for their alleged violation of the Election Act, 2017.

A local resident Syed Iqtidar Shah had moved this petition. He pointed out that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari used the party’s symbol of PPP-Parliamentarians, headed by Asif Ali Zardari, on the flags and manifesto of PPP.

He said that it was violation of section 215 of the Election Act 2017 and submitted that the election law did not allow any political party to use election symbol of other party. He also said that PPP’s chief Zardari was using PPP’s flag which was against the election act section 200 of election law.

He requested to declare both Zardari and Bilawal disqualified to contest in the upcoming general election for violation of the election laws.

After hearing preliminary arguments, the judge dismissed the petition as not maintainable.

Earlier on June 19, nomination papers of Zardari from NA 213 were approved by the Returning Officer.

A petitioner, objecting to Zardari’s candidature, said that the former president had purchased 1,500 acres of agricultural land in Sanghar but had failed to pay tax. He was also accused of not paying water tax for using canal water. RO Muhammad Mahmood Awan rejected the objections and gave green signal to Zardari to contest elections.

Bilawal is contesting the election for the first time from three NA seats – NA-5 (Malakand), NA-200 (Larkana) and NA-246 (Karachi).

Zardari will contest elections from NA-213 (Shaheed Benazirabad).

Published in Daily Times, July 7^th 2018.