ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court reserved on Tuesday its decision on a plea seeking the disqualification of Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed.

The court, however, observed that the mistake either intentional or unintentional would result in disqualification and reserved the verdict.

A three-member bench of the court headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the case filed by PML-N leader from Rawalpindi Shakeel Awan.

The petition by Shakeel Awan, who lost the 2013 general election to Rasheed, claims that the NA-55 lawmaker misdeclared his assets in his nomination papers and owned the error as well.

During the course of proceedings, the counsel for Shakeel Awan appeared before the bench and stated that Sheikh Rasheed concealed his assets and in 2013 elections he showed the worth of a plot in Bahria Town at around Rs 10 million, however, the booking of the plot began from over Rs 4.8 million. He alleged that Sheikh Rasheed also did not show his complete land records of Fateh Jang.

Shakeel Awan’s counsel argued before the three-member bench that according to the Representation of People’s Act, it is necessary to accurately declare all of one’s assets before contesting elections. He asserted that the most recent court case regarding the wrong filling of nomination papers is the 2017 Panama Papers judgment.

Sheikh Rasheed’s counsel contended that his client did not conceal anything and accepted that his client has owned the mistake in valuing his assets.

During the hearing, Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked that according to the petitioner, whatever the error, the lawmaker should be disqualified.

The question is whether a lawmaker stands disqualified if it is proved that he or she committed an error while filling the nomination papers or his assets, observed Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, who headed the bench.

Justice Isa remarked that if this is the case, the Panama case was about the London flats but the prime minister was disqualified over an Iqama. He also asked where in the Panama judgment it was declared that whatever the mistake, the punishment should be disqualification.

Justice Isa observed that it has become difficult to contest elections in Pakistan and to fill out the nomination papers.

SC BANS SHAHID MASOOD’S

PROGRAMME

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a three-month ban on anchorperson Dr Shahid Masood’s TV show.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan resumed hearing a suo motu case on the anchorperson’s allegations about the Zainab murder case convict’s ‘foreign links’.

During the course of proceedings, the anchorperson submitted an unconditional apology to the court but the bench ruled to reprimand the anchorperson over his controversial remarks.

As the hearing began, the chief justice revealed that the anchorperson had ridiculed a court officer on his show a day after appearing in court.

The chief justice remarked that the anchorperson had said if the allegations were proved false, then he should be hanged. “Now you decide your own punishment,” he added.

The court agreed to a three-month ban on Masood’s programme after he submitted a written apology on its directions.

MEDICAL STENTS CASE

 The Supreme Court on Tuesday while wrapping up the substandard medical stents case directed the government and private hospitals to submit report after implementing the recommendations within three months.

A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case.

The CJP commended the report prepared by Stent Committee and termed the recommendations quite ‘comprehensive’. He directed the private and government hospitals to submit their report after 90 days to registrar SC.

“What will be done for the medicines being made for heart patients?” inquired the CJP. “We will check the companies who are making fake medicines. The medicines are not much expensive but high price is written in the prescription. A monthly prescription of Rs 500-1400 is framed for a heart patient,” said Dr Azhar Kiani, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) head.

The Chief Justice asked the RIC head to provide them with a prescription of sugar, blood pressure and heart patient. “After Stent Committee’s report, the price of stent will come to Rs100,000. I met Dr Adeeb Rizvi over the issue of dialysis. The price of stent has reduced after the suo moto notice. All the parties in the case greatly assisted the court. The condition of emergency in the hospitals should be very impressive,” remarked the CJP.

 

 

Mistake intentional or not would result in disqualification: SC