Tyrian case in IHC: Verdict reserved on maintainability of disqualification plea

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a plea seeking disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan for not disclosing his alleged daughter Tyrian White in his nomination papers.

A three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq — heard the plea. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir were the bench members. Petitioner Mohammad Sajid requested the court to disqualify Imran for providing an incorrect information in his nomination papers for the 2018 general elections.

He said Imran had three children but he had mentioned only two in the papers and allegedly concealed his third child. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the PTI chief did not declare Tyrian White as his daughter in the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) due to which he could not hold the position of party chairman. The lawyer said all facts related to the case had been submitted to the court along with the petition, while Imran hadn’t responded to any of those.

Justice Farooq remarked that according to the record so far Imran had neither denied nor accepted anything, clarifying that the hearing was being held to decide whether the case should be heard or dismissed. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that Imran had mentioned his wife Bushra Bibi and two sons — Qasim and Suleman — in the affidavit.

He said Imran had mentioned both his sons live with their mother who were not financially dependent on him.

He further argued that Imran had not disclosed details of Tyrian, who wasn’t married and as per Islamic laws was dependent on her father financially.