IHC suspends denotification of PTI’s three MNAs

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday suspended the denotification of three MNAs of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and barred the Election Commission from holding by-elections in the three constituencies.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq suspended the denotification of Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan and Raja Khurram Nawaz. Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Ali Gohar appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioners.

The chief justice remarked that first the petitioners were complaining that their resignations were not being accepted and now they were saying that these were wrongly accepted. Barrister Ali Zafar said the National Assembly speaker and the Election Commission had issued the suspension notifications.

The court inquired whether they had only challenged the notification. Replying, Barrister Ali Zafar said his clients wanted to go back to the assembly. He also informed the court about a decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) regarding suspension of de-notification of PTI MNAs from Punjab.

He said two other petitions of the PTI lawmakers were also pending with the LHC. The chief justice suspended the denotification of the three members and issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The case hearing was adjourned to March 28.