PTI moves ECP against Maryam’s PML-N position

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday submitted a formal petition in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the recent appointment of Maryam Nawaz as vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N).

Immediately after the appointment, PTI consulted legal experts and then came to the conclusion to challenging her elevation as PML-N vice president. Last week, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif made major changes in the party's structure; her elevation is part of those 16 party men, who were made vice presidents.

The petition was submitted by MNAs Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Ali Bokhari, Kanwal Shauzab and Javeria Zafar. They contended that the appointment of Maryam as PML-N vice president was in conflict with the law and the Constitution. It also covered the legal basis under which Maryam was ineligible to hold public office and includes a detailed mention of court decisions.

In July 2018, an accountability court announced the judgement in the Avenfield properties corruption reference, sentencing Maryam to seven years for abetment after she was found instrumental in concealment of the properties of her father and one year for non-cooperation with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Afterwards, she was disqualified from contesting polls on having been convicted.

However, in January, the apex court upheld an Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict that had ordered the suspension of prison sentences awarded to Maryam and her father. The petition says that an accountability court declared the PML-N leader to be ineligible for public office and added that a party position is not held in private capacity.

It says that political parties have an influence on the entire political system and claimed that in the void of a party president, Maryam will use the elected president's authority. In their petition, the PTI lawmakers wondered how it was possible that members of the assembly fully abide by Article 62 and Article 63 of the Constitution, but the people who control them don't do so.

The petition says that the Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz from holding a party office and now if Maryam was allowed to be vice president, it would be tantamount to allow Nawaz also to keep a party office.

The PTI petition notes that the Supreme Court had disqualified her father, Nawaz Sharif, from his party position as well; therefore, the Election Commission should declare her appointment to be null and void.

In brief chat with media persons, PTI legislator Farrukh Habib said that there was lack of leadership in the PML-N and added that they wanted the ‘law of Raiwind’ to be enforced across Pakistan. He insisted that Maryam could not keep the position of party vice president.

In her immediate comment on Maryam’s elevation, Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had termed it as illegal and said it portrayed the dictatorial mindset of that the party.