The Lahore High Court on Monday overruled objections to a writ petition seeking disqualification of MNA and the Chairman, National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Education, Abid Sher Ali and directed the office to place the petition before any judge for its disposal in accordance with the law.
The registrar's office had put three objections to the petition that it was not filed in a proper court, as it should had been filed in Islamabad high court as standing committee falls under the territorial jurisdiction of IHC.
The second objection was that the copies of the petition were not delivered to the officer Advocate General Punjab and Attorney General of Pakistan. The third objection was that the required documents were not annexed to the petition including the degree of Ali.
The petitioner, Aftab Ahmed advocate on Monday argued before the court that since Ali secured a National Assembly seat from Faisalabad, the LHC principal seat holds the jurisdiction to entertain and decide the matter. Further about two other objections, he said that the copies have been delivered to the office of Punjab AG and Attorney General of Pakistan, while the application has been submitted to seek certified copy of Ali's graduation degree on the basis of which, he was declared returned candidate.
After hearing the arguments, the judge overruled all three objections and directed registrar's office to place it before any judge for its disposal. Aftab Ahmad advocate had filed the petition and named Abid Sher Ali, the NA speaker, the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Punjab Chief Secretary as respondents. He alleged that Abid was elected on the basis of a forged degree and prayed that the EC should be directed to hold an inquiry to ascertain the facts.