Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) has suspended Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proceedings against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for concealment of facts in nomination papers as well as stopped his appearance before the commission scheduled for 26th March, on Wednesday.
PHC’s divisional bench comprised of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Waqar Ahmad heard Ali Amin Gandapur plea against ECP notices as well as expected disqualification for concealment of facts in nomination for 2024 elections.
The counsel Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah and Alam Khan advocates argued that a resident from D I Khan had filed complaint at ECP for disqualification of Ali Amin Gandapur because he (Gandapur) had conceal facts from the commission.
ECP had accepted the plea for hearing and summoned Ali Amin Gandapur on 26th March for appearance before the commission which is against the law, the counsel added. They further added that after declaration of results the complaints should be entertain by Election Tribunal nor by the commission.
PHC’s divisional bench comprised of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Waqar Ahmad granted status quo against ECP orders in favor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and ordered respondents for submission of reply.
Meanwhile, PHC’s divisional bench of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Shakeel Ahmad extended status quo and stopped recounting in PK-99 Bannu and NA37 Kurram in favor of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) member Zahid Ullah and Hameed Hassan, respectively till 26th March.
PK-99 candidate lawyer Qazi Anwar and NA37 member counsel Shumal Ahmad Butt advocates appeared before PHC while arguing that Zahid Ullah had took oath as Member Provincial Assembly while recounting plea was made with delay for 8 polling station Sher Azam Wazir plea.
PHC accepted ECP’s lawyer Mohsin Kamran Sadiq plea for adjournment due to his illness and adjourned further hearing till 26th March by extending status quo in the writ cases.
PTI withdraw case of setting up a JIT: A case for setting up a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the May 9 and 10, 2023 incidents has been withdrawn by Qazi Anwar, Advocate of Insaf Lawyers Forum, who appeared in the court.
PTI withdrew the petition from the Peshawar High Court. Justice Atiq Shah and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah held a hearing of the case. Qazi Anwar, Advocate of Insaf Lawyers Forum appeared in the court and told the court that they are withdrawing the case about forming of Joint Investigation Team (JIT). “We are withdrawing the application,” Qazi Anwar Advocate said to the court. “Now the elected provincial government has taken over,” Qazi Anwar Advocate said, adding, the provincial government has the authority to form the commission or JIT. The court dealt with the withdrawal of the application.
