PTI moves IHC to disqualify Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to disqualify Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, as he is not ‘Sadiq and Ameen’.

PTI leaders Usman Dar and Khurram Sher Zaman filed the petition in the IHC claiming that Zardari did not disclose his assets in the Election Commission. Asif Ali Zardari, ECP and National Assembly secretary have been made respondents in the petition.

The petition stated that the PPP’s co-chairman is ineligible to hold office apart from seeking the court’s ruling to disqualify him from becoming a member of the National Assembly for life. “Zardari is not Sadiq and Ameen as he did not disclose his assets,” the petition states. The petition requested that Zardari be disqualified under Article 62(1)(f).

Earlier, the PTI had moved similar petitions against the former president in the Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but they both had been returned. Raising objections on the petition, the SC registrar had said the petitioners didn’t approach the relevant forum to have their grievance addressed.

PTI leaders alleged that the PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari owned an apartment in Belaire Condominiums located at 524 East 72nd Street in New York but didn’t disclose it in his nomination papers for the 2018 general elections.