ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court yesterday de-seated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker for hiding details of bank balance and assets. The Election Commission of Pakistan has been directed to immediately de-notify PML-N MNA Justice (retd) Iftikhar Ahmad Cheema and hold fresh polls in NA-101. The PML-N legislator had defeated PML-Junego candidate in the general elections 2013. He bagged 99,191 votes, while his opponent Muhammad Ahmad Chatha secured 59,878 votes.

The PML-J candidate had challenged the victory of Cheema in the Election Tribunal, which passed decision in the favour of PML-N candidate. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the appeal. Hamid Ali Shah advocate, representing Chatha, contended that Cheema did not provide full detail about his assets and bank balance in the nomination form. He said Cheema, in the column of dependents, intentionally concealed about the property in the name of his wife.

However, Mobeen Qazi informed that his client had estranged relationship with his wife and had no full detail of the property in her possession. He said the former judge did not like to disclose about the relationship in the public, but when the case was filed in the tribunal he mentioned those things. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said Cheema did not contest the election for the first time and should have provided the detail of assets in the name of his dependents.

The chief justice said had he been illiterate or ordinary citizen the situation would have been differen. The bench after hearing the arguments accepted the appeal of Chatha against tribunal. It may be added that the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered re-election in NA-153 Vehari, dismissing the plea of PML-N’s Dewan Ashiq and upholding election tribunal’s verdict for re-polling for concealment of assets and holding fake degree, which was challenged by rival PPP candidate.