Verdict reserved in PTI’s petition seeking Shahbaz’s disqualification

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday reserved verdict in Imran Khan's petition seeking disqualification of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif over alleged violation of his oath as member of the provincial assembly and doing unlawful business.

Khan's lawyer, Babar Awan contended before the court that the chief minister did not declare assets of 34 million dollars, which is a violation of national tax laws hence he cannot hold a public office.

In his petition, Khan alleged that Shehbaz Sharif misused his powers being the chief minister by allowing his relatives and others to establish new sugar mills or relocate/shift in south Punjab.

He mentioned a number of writ petitions which were decided by the LHC, according to which, actual/ main contesting respondents including Punjab government, Agriculture Department, Industries, Commerce and Investment Department, the Food Department, the Environment Protection Agency as well as the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department were impleaded through their competent authorities.

District coordination officers of Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Rajanpur were also impleaded as parties, the petition stated. It also made the Ministry of Textile Industries and the Ministry of National Food and Research, Islamabad, parties to explain the federal government’s policy and national interest.

To substantiate his arguments, Khan mentioned his party leader Jahangir Khan Tareen’s petition against the Punjab government over allowing shifting and relocation of certain sugar mills and relied upon LHC’s observation that the government made a policy to benefit selected sugar mills.

Khan also relied upon Supreme Court’s decision in Panama Papers case and inquiry report prepared by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) against the ruling Sharif family involving Shahbaz Sharif.

He said that the letter, issued by the Ministry of Justice of UAE, had also proved this fact that respondent and his family conveniently tell lies. He alleged that Shahbaz Sharif and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif created worst examples of conflict of interest in the history of nations and made unlawful colossal business gains through their families and cronies.

Imran Khan said Shahbaz Sharif was ruling Punjab for about nine years and he was chief minister of the province at the moment. He was elected from PP-159 and being head of the cabinet was custodian of every penny of fiscal resources and assets of the province. But he acted quite contrary to it, he said.

He referred another decision of the SC which contained reports of various banks saying respondent and his family as defaulter. However, he said that only National Bank of Pakistan claimed that the respondents made payment of Rs6 billion.