The Supreme Court dismissed on Tuesday Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed’s petition against the NA-60 poll delay.
The top court, earlier today, had fixed for hearing in its Lahore registry the AML chief’s petition.
Rasheed had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the election in Rawalpindi’s NA-60 constituency after arrest and disqualification of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Hanif Abbasi, Rasheed’s main contender for the seat, in the ephedrine quota case last week.
Talking to the media outside the apex court in Islamabad, Rasheed had said he had pleaded the court to fix his hearing in Islamabad but it will be heard in Lahore.
Expressing disappointment, Rasheed contended he will now travel to Lahore to attend the hearing and asked party supporters and staff to continue with their preparations.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar heard Rasheed’s plea after 3pm today but dismissed his arguments and ordered for polling to be held at NA-60 after tomorrow’s general election as decided by the ECP.
The court also ruled that it is accepting the petition for hearing to look into the crucial legal points mentioned in it.
The court issued notices to the ECP and federal government before adjourning the hearing.
LHC dismisses Rasheed’s petition
On Monday, the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench had rejected Rasheed’s petition.
In his response to the verdict, Rasheed said that they were prepared for the election and would approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the LHC verdict on Tuesday (today).
In his petition in the LHC, Rasheed contended that election cannot be postponed due to the sentencing of a candidate as the law only allows it if a candidate dies.
Rasheed stated in the petition that elections in the constituencies of PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz and Capt (retd) Safdar were not postponed when they were jailed in the Avenfield properties reference earlier this month.
