ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the references seeking disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Saifullah Abro from Senate for allegedly not meeting the criteria for election on Senate’s technocrat seat and concealing wealth details.
“Therefore, in view of the above mentioned discussion, the question referred by the chairman Senate through the above mentioned references are decided in negative being devoid of merits and force without evidence,” read the ECP order issued on Thursday.
Senator Shahadat Awan from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and one Majid Mehmood filed two references against Abro.
Headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, a three-member ECP bench consolidated the two references and disposed them of through a single order.
Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi are the other two members of the bench having heard this case and issued the verdict that was reserved earlier on Tuesday.
In a Senate meeting on 5 September, last year, Abro and Awan had a heated exchange of words. Both legislators levelled serious allegations against each other.
Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was presiding over the said session, suspended the Senate proceedings for a few minutes, and summoned the two senators in his chamber urging them to resolve the matter. When the house proceedings resumed, Abro and Awan shook hands and embraced each other.
However, the hostility between the two senators reportedly continued in the days that followed. The PPP legislator and the other applicant filed the references in the Senate Secretariat against the PTI lawmaker.
The two references were sent to the ECP by the chairman Senate.
In the light of the relevant provisions of Article 63, if any question arises regarding a senator’s disqualification, the chairman Senate shall refer the question to the ECP within 30 days, and if he fails to do so within the aforesaid period, it shall be deemed to have been referred to the ECP. The ECP shall decide the question within 90 days from its receipt.
Under this article, if the ECP is of the opinion that the said senator has become disqualified, he shall cease to be a member and Senate seat shall become vacant.
The Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution says that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Parliament unless — he is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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