Daily Times

The Supreme Court Tuesday maintained the Islamabad High Court order regarding the disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Kashif Mehmood.

A three-member bench – comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah – heard the case and upheld the disqualification decision of Member Punjab Assembly from Bahawalnagar Kashif Mehmood. The high court had disqualified the PML-N MPA in a fake degree case. Kashif Mehmood had challenged the IHC decision before the apex court. Kashif Mehmood was elected as an MPA from PP 241, Chishtian District Bahawalnagar.

During the course of proceedings, Advocate Naeem Bukhari said the IHC had disqualified Kashif on a fake degree.

Kashif filed an intra-court appeal against the decision of the high court and withdrew intra-court appeal over compromise with his opponent Abdul Ghaffar. He said Kashif could not approach the apex court due to compromise with his opponent. He pleaded the court to reject the petition as it was filed against the legal process.

The counsel for Kashif said that there was no jurisdiction of IHC to hear the case except the Lahore High Court.

Justice Mansoor said the ECP issued victory notification. The ECP was in Islamabad and the IHC had the power to hear disqualification cases, he added.

He observed that Kashif made a serious mistake by withdrawing the intra-court appeal from the Islamabad High Court.