ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has mandated the appearance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, before the district election commissioner on March 26, as part of an ongoing disqualification case. The electoral authority, having considered preliminary arguments, issued an order on Tuesday, directing Gandapur to appear for further proceedings.
The case, initiated by a petition filed by JUI leader Muhammad Kafeel, alleges discrepancies in Gandapur’s asset declaration and questions the ownership of 735 kanal land in Mouzah Girah Muhabbat and Muzah Rohri, Tehsil Kulachi, district DI Khan.
According to the petitioner, the said land was temporarily transferred to Gandapur, with the real ownership belonging to Asif Khan. The contention further asserts that while Gandapur is the ostensible owner, Asif Khan is the sole and absolute owner of the property.
The petitioner highlights inconsistencies in the assets and liabilities forms submitted for the year 2020, where Gandapur allegedly declared the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser from funds obtained through the sale of the disputed land. As a result, the petitioner argues that Gandapur, having provided false information, is not qualified to hold the position of a member of the provincial assembly.
Interestingly, this development follows Gandapur’s call for a plan of action within a month to recover outstanding arrears owed by the province to the Centre. In response, he instructed provincial authorities to enlist the services of legal experts to address the matter with the federal government.
As the case progresses, the Election Commission has set the next hearing for March 26, 2024, emphasizing the need for the district election commissioner’s service report before the scheduled date.
