The Supreme Court (SC) Thursday resumed the hearing on a case about the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.
seven-member bench — headed by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali — is conducting a hearing on the case.
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The proceedings of the case are being broadcast live on SC’s website and YouTube channel. At the resumption of the hearing after a day break, Khurram Raza, plaintiff Sajjadul Hassan’s lawyer questioned under which law the appeals are being heard.
The court is hearing appeals under 184-3 or 187 section of the constitution of Pakistan, he asked. Plead your case don’t repeat please, CJP Qazi Faez Isa asked Khurram Raza.
CJP said here the question arises if SC enjoys powers under Article 62-1F. The top judge said a candidate is disqualified over nomination papers. How can one be disqualified for life, he remarked.
“Lifetime disqualification under Article 62(1)(F) was determined according to one’s own perception and not the Constitution”.
CJP observed that dictators amended the constitution of Pakistan and put conditions of Saadiq and Ameen for Parliamentarians. Why they did not place the same conditions on them for contesting elections?
The top judge also inquired if the provisions of disqualification were amended in the Constitution by a dictator, saying that a “hypocrite was worse than a non-believer”.
