ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday said that in the case of wrong details, the Election Commission of Pakistan had to take notice within 120 days and no action was taken by the institution in the matter seeking former prime minister Imran Khan’s disqualification as a lawmaker for ‘concealing’ his alleged daughter Tyrian White in his nomination forms.
Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq said this while heading a larger bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir to hear a petition seeking disqualification of Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly concealing his alleged daughter in the nomination papers submitted to contest the 2018 general elections. In this mater, petitioner Sajid Mahmood approached the IHC claiming that although Imran made arrangements for Tyrian White’s upkeep abroad, he did not disclose it in nomination papers and affidavits filed by him for elections. During the hearing, Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja said that the Election Commission of Pakistan had decided in this case two times. The court asked about the current situation if Imran Khan was not a member of the National Assembly. At this, the complainant’s lawyer and former judge Hamid Ali Shah replied that the PTI’s chief was still a member of parliament. The IHC bench stated that it was the prerogative of courts to decide about the qualification as the ECP could not give a decision in this regard. Justice Aamer added that under the Election Act, it was not compulsory to reveal the details of dependent children. The ECP’s lawyer said it was not compulsory to reveal the details of children, however, it was required to reveal the properties of dependent children. Then, indirectly, the details of the children were required, he said.