Musharraf moves SC to undo ban on his contesting elections

SC accepts Musharaf’s plea against PHC verdict

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday accepted an appeal of former President Pervez Musharraf for preliminary hearing against Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict that had imposed life time ban on him to contest lower or upper house or any other elections in the country.

In 2013, the PHC dismissed the plea of Musharaf against the appellate tribunal’ rejection of his nomination papers for NA-32 Chitral for general elections. The court had imposed lifetime ban ruling that Musharraf had twice abrogated and subverted the constitution besides detaining judges of superior judiciary, so he could not contest Senate, National Assembly or any other elections in the country. 

Musharaf challenged the verdict in the SC terming it against the constitutional provisions. On Monday, Musharaf’s counsel Malik Qamar Afzal while appearing before a five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali sought adjournment in the instant matter saying that he was unable to contact with his client who is abroad.

The CJ, however, observed that the court cannot adjourn the case asking Afzal to get directions from his client in the instant matter. Later, the court accepted Musharaf’s plea for preliminary hearing and adjourned the hearing for indefinite period.