Lifetime Disqualification
The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have expressed their satisfaction with the recent landmark judgment by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The judgment terminates the lifetime disqualification of politicians under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court, in a significant decision, declared that individuals disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) cannot be barred for a lifetime from participating in elections. This decision overturns the previous order disqualifying politicians indefinitely, providing hope for political figures eyeing the upcoming elections on February 8. The seven-member larger bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, announced the verdict with a 6-1 majority, with Justice Yahya Afridi dissenting from the majority view.
The decision has received positive responses from various political parties. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Central Secretary Information of the PML-N, hailed it as a step toward the restoration of constitutional sanity. She emphasized the historical vindication of Nawaz Sharif and criticized the provision of lifetime disqualification as a tool designed to persecute and exclude prominent leaders.
IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed the verdict and congratulated Jahangir Khan Tareen and Nawaz Sharif on the end of their lifetime disqualifications.
اعلیٰ عدلیہ کا تاحیات نااہلی کو کالعدم قرار دینے کا فیصلہ خوش آئند امر ہے۔ تاحیات نااہلی ختم ہونے پر میاں نواز شریف اور جہانگیر خان ترین کو مبارکباد پیش کرتا ہوں۔
— Abdul Aleem Khan (@abdul_aleemkhan) January 8, 2024
PPP senior leader Qamar Zaman Kaira viewed the decision as a positive step, indicating the judiciary’s correction of its record. He highlighted the need to support the court’s efforts to rectify past wrongs.
However, Hammad Azhar from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) criticized the ruling on social media, alleging that individuals accused of false cases have been allowed to contest the upcoming general polls.
جن پر جھوٹے پرچے اور صرف الزام ہیں وہ الیکشن نہیں لڑ سکتے۔ لیکن جو سزا یافتہ تھے اور اعلی ترین عدالت سے نااہل قرار پائے، وہ لاڈلے الیکشن کے لئے اہل قرار۔ واہ !
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) January 8, 2024
In summary, the Supreme Court’s decision has sparked mixed reactions from political circles, with some praising it as a correction of past injustices, while others express concerns about its implications for the upcoming elections.
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