Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz challenge ECP denotification in Peshawar High Court

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leaders Omar Ayub and Senator Shibli Faraz have challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to denotify them in the Peshawar High Court.

In their petition, the PTI leaders argued that the ECP decision is illegal, unconstitutional, and based on mala fide intent. They requested the court to declare the denotification null and void.

The petition stated that the ECP issued the decision without giving the petitioners an opportunity to be heard, which violated the basic principles of justice.

It is worth mentioning that the ECP recently disqualified nine parliamentarians, including Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, following their convictions in May 9 cases, and subsequently issued their denotification orders.

According to ECP sources, other disqualified members include Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Zartaj Gul, Rai Haider Ali, Junaid Afzal Sahi, Rai Hassan Murtaza, and Ansar Iqbal. A formal notification has been issued by the commission, declaring these members ineligible to hold public office.

The disqualification was executed under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars individuals from Parliament if convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude.

The ECP cited the ATC Faisalabad’s verdict in its notification, noting that the concerned members had been convicted in connection with the May 9 violence cases. The court had sentenced each of them to prison terms of up to 10 years.

The ruling came just days after the ATC announced its decision in three separate cases related to the May 9 incidents, which involved protests and violence following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.